The secrets that haunt us
by MissFudgeMonstersx
Summary: Everyone has secrets, some worse than others. When the Illusive man sends Sheppard on hunt for missing Cerberus scientists, she uncovers more than she ever wished to know. And when doubts start to rise, everything falls apart. Rated M for violence, language and smut. Slightly AU. Starts from half way through ME2 and through to ME3.
1. Chapter 1

** ***IMPORTANT*****

**I'd skip this chapter. but please read the A/N. Thank you.**

**A/N: Okay this starts kind of at ME2. Like around half way. When I assume (given that Garrus's family are on Palaven at least in my head.) Garrus's father would find about Shepard resurrection. And how he would be all but screaming at his only son.**

**I am planning on this being a long Fic. Like from the second game to the third. So the third one may be wrote in a completely different post. So expect irregular updates (Considering I still have five to update...I'm sorry about that.) But this is my main thing for the time being.**

**Also Shepard is a spacer/sole survivor Vanguard. But Personally I suck at close quarters combat. So My shep always used to use her pistol (and I got the sniper.) Just personal preference. I'll try to not let that show too much in this though.**

**So the first bit is just for us to understand kind of the time frame. I'll update tomorrow with more plot related stuff and more interaction with the characters not just Garrus.**

**I just needed to set the pace.**

**Thank You and I really hope you enjoy x**

* * *

Garrus had never exactly thought about any of Shepard decisions. He'd always, from the first Normandy just...gone with it. He'd been so eager to just make her happy with him that he hadn't thought about the repercussions he would have with everyone else.

Mainly his father.

Actually, just his father.

But Garrus didn't care. He'd always seen the world differently to his dad. Whereas the older Vakarian lived for unity, for rules, His son? Not so much. It wasn't like the ends justified the means. He was no Illusive man. But C-sec had so much red tape, so many restrictions. It almost drove him mad with the amount of bad men that would simply walk free because of the damn things.

But his father always said, no matter how his son felt. "Their time will come, and the wicked will taste their own wicked ways." But when he had to watch them leave, without a single thing he could do, and find another victim _the very next day_… Red tape be damned.

So it came as no surprise to him that his father, in a human term Joker had taught him, lost his shit when he'd found out about his son joining a spectre. Given that not many years before he'd managed to talk his son out of being one himself.

And then Shepard had died and Vakarian senior was all talk about how he was glad she was gone. That the world was less one more spectre. How she got what she deserved.

And then he had seen his son. How _pained _he was without her. How lost. She'd given him direction, turned him from an eager youngster into a creature worth the title of Turian. Worth the name Vakarian.

And like any good father would. He stopped. He'd got Garrus his job back at C-sec, better job in fact. He'd helped him get settled, helped him move on.

But nothing had felt all that right to him. Not the small apartment he'd managed to buy on the citadel. Not the new fancy career. Or the respect he seemed to get from the new recruits. He'd been there with Shepard. Been there when Saren was breathing down their necks. That had to offer some sort of respect even if you were Garrus.

And then Garrus had just offed and left. Heading straight to Omega after one of his squad members mentioned the merc activity there. How they were practically getting slaughtered. They'd been patrolling Choras Den, Garrus, a Salarian named Mordac and another Turian called Ralick.

They'd positioned themselves at three key points in the club, Mordac and Ralik gossiping like women about the state of Omega.

"Oh yeah?" Ralik had said, the sub vocal tone to his voice full of smugness. "I hear Aria T'loak runs the show. She keeps the mercs under control; it's why we don't see so much of their shit here."

Mordac grumbled something under his breath, his higher pitched voice barely registering on the comm. "Well," He started after a minute. "I hear she's helping them sell the red stuff if you know what I mean. They pay her a fortune to keep it from getting caught in Citadel space."

Garrus could hear Ralick click his mandibles tight against his jaw. "Something needs to be done in that damn place. Hell I'd go now if I knew I'd actually get shit done there. No point wasting my life for nothing. Besides place sees more action than this shi-"

"Hey" Garrus ordered across the comm. He could see his men straightening up, not realising he'd been listening in. "If you two are done pissing about, you may have noticed the human that's spiking the women's drinks?"

He'd left the next day, his Omni tool already picking out candidates to form a team with.

And then after the high's they had had with disrupting the mercs as much as they could, Sadonis had turned on them. They were all dead, because of him. Then the mercs had banded together to take the "Archangel of Omega" Down.

Shepard had shown up, of course. As she usually did with these situations. He'd thought she were a spirit sent to help him when he'd caught sights of in his scope. Glowing blue and beating a poor merc over the head with her shot gun. Suffice to say he didn't stand a chance.

A spirit had come to save him, twisting the joy into bitterness as they toyed him with her face. That face that he'd screamed for. If turians could cry his eyes would never have been dry.

And then she was there waltzing up to him as if he were just another turian. Just some other bloke who hadn't saved her ass more than he cared to imagine.

"Archangel?" She'd asked with a tilt to her head. He'd ignored her and with a quick glance through his scope, blew the head off a unsuspecting merc. When he'd pulled his helmet off, spoke her name like a prayer, he'd almost screamed in frustration.

Shepard was dead, his mind fought. She is dead, and there is nothing you can do.

But then she'd spoken his name, that word on her lips and he'd known he'd either gone insane. That his mind was conjuring tricks and that the mercs had actually captured him and thought this was some sick joke.

Or it was actually her, and somehow the spirits had brought him back to her.

Then there were some dealings with a rocket, and almost dying. But his mind didn't seem to dwell on that too long. His face was healing. And that's all that mattered.

So it came as no surprise that Garrus had around twelve messages off his father. Each one marked as urgent. It'd had been almost half a year now with Shepard, and it seemed his father had heard the rumors pretty quickly.

Garrus Sighed, shutting down the orange console in front of him and opened up his omni-tool. Yup, twelve of them. He opened the earliest one, squinting his eyes as the message lit up the darkened battery.

_Dated: two weeks ago: 11:30 AM ships hours._

_So I hear there was an anonymous donation to the Helos Medical Institute. One that allowed your mother the care she needs. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you son? All they told me was that a 'caring member of the community" helped. _

_Now I have no idea how you got those tissue samples, but by the spirits, whatever you are doing just stay safe. Solana misses you. She needs her brother._

Garrus sighed deleting the message as quickly as he'd read it before moving onto the next one. Which wasn't much better.

_Dated: one week and four days ago: 9:42 PM Ships hours._

_You're with Shepard. Who is meant to be damn dead?_

_Spirits son, have you learnt nothing? Spectres are trouble. She left you once. She could leave you again. Stop this madness and come home. Your mother took a turn for the worse last night. She hardly recognised Sol. _

_We need you Garrus._

Delete, delete, delete.

_Dated: two days ago: 4:34 PM ships hours._

_I can only assume you haven't managed to get my earlier messages. Because Spirits knows your own son wouldn't just ignore his own fathers messages. Especially when his mother is on her death bed and said father hasn't seen or heard off his son since Spirits knows how long._

_No of course not._

_I don't care what silly little idiocies that woman has put in your head. But she's a spectre. She lies. It's her job. Hell Garrus, she's with Cerberus now. A Human terrorist group. Do you know how that looks back here? Do you?_

_They think you've turned your back on your own people Garrus._

_Your mother wants to see you. She wants to know her son is safe._

_For once in your life, act like a Turian and do what I say._

And delete. Garrus scratched at his fringe, feeling the small pliable plates there shift under his fingers. He knew his mother was sick, and it was _killing him _not seeing her. All he wanted to do was rush back home, and hold her.

But if they didn't do this. finish this mission, there would be no home to go back to. And _that _was what he told himself almost every time he woke up for shift so that he would steal a shuttle and damn fly back home himself. But spirits he wanted to.

But first he should write back to his dad. It wasn't fair to just leave him like that.

_Dad I'm fine honestly. Shepard isn't working for or with Cerberus. I can't really explain. But please just trust your sons' judgements. Once in your life believe your son is capable of making decisions without his father's input._

_How's mom? Your last message sounded like she was better. _

He wanted to write more. Explain everything to his father. How the collectors were practically harvesting human colonies. But he would never believe him. it would just lead to more arguments about how Shepard was poisoning his mind.

And he honestly just didn't have the energy anymore.

So instead he clicked send, and closed his Omni-Tool with a final click. The main battery darkened again and Garrus had half a mind to just turn in for the night.

He glanced at his cot, his mandibles clicking lightly against his face. At least it was better than those human beds the crews quarters had. Those things had no support for his cowl. He'd wake up at random times his back in agony as he was forced to shift and wiggle into awkward positions just so he could lie down. Damn things.

At least his cot supported his back, even if it was just a fraction of what he was used to.

Light poured into the room and Garrus Hardly heard the door slide open. But still he could hear those boots thud against the metallic flooring. Shepard.

"Have you got a minute?" She asked, standing behind him expectantly.

Garrus turned, crossing his arms and leaning against his console. "Sure, just killing time anyway. What'd you need?" It was then he was glad Shepard wasn't used to Turian bodies. The tired lilt to his sub vocals, the way the blue in his eyes darkened with tiredness. To another Turian everything about him, the way he had to hold his body upright now, would scream exhaustion.

But Shepard didn't know a damn thing.

"Just got word off the Illusive man." She sighed, running her hand through the red hair on her head. That stuff still made Garrus curious. "Apparently one of his smaller bases has ceased contact. He thinks one of his experiments has gone shit crazy down there."

Garrus nodded closing his eyes slightly. There'll be enough time to sleep when you're done Vakarian. "When do we get there?"

"Twenty two hundred hours." Her voice was quieter than usual, and her mouth opened to let a small moan like sound from it. Something he'd learnt humans called yawns.

"What time is it now?"

"Oh eight-hundred hours. Night shift ended two hours ago. Get some sleep, you me and Jack are on this one." She rested her hand on his shoulder and he jerked awake. He knew she had no idea what touching meant to turians. But it certainly wasn't taken all that lightly. It didn't exactly help that she'd practically propositioned him not three nights ago.

The whole reach and flexibility conundrum making his head spin. But that was something for another time. When he was alone, and she wasn't so damn close.

"Aye aye commander. Catching some shut eye." He mock saluted her before turning towards his cot.

"And Vakarian?"

"Yes Commander?"

"I think we've known each other long enough to leave the 'Commander' stuff behind don't you?" She smiled, turning with a wink and strutting almost down the long walkway to the mess.

If his mind wasn't so damn tired all of a sudden he'd have noticed the way his eyes watched as she swayed her hips back and forth. And he'd have probably mentally smacked himself for being so open about it.

But right now, the only love affair he wanted to have was with his cot, and her sweet glorious comfort.

* * *

**A/N: first one over and done with. I'll update tomorrow with something actually interesting. Sorry about that.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This one at least has some fighting in it. Sorry for the wait. and thank you for reading and review x  
*Edit* Rokubi: Thank you. I was reading it through and I can totally see what you mean. Thank you. It's just laziness on my part which is no excuse. Going to be going through chapter 3 tonight and edit that. also with the small children thing? You and me both sister, damn boy made me weep.**

* * *

The mess hall was empty when Garrus stepped into it later. His back sore from yet another awkward sleep. He hadn't noticed how _Human _Alliance ships were on the old Normandy. Hell, all he'd been too busy fixing the Mako after Shepard 'driving' if that's what it was called. Or hunting Saren down and trying not to be killed.

But now, sleeping aboard a ship designed and crafted by an organisation that made it a point to kill aliens on point, he noticed every little detail. Like how each bed in the crew's quarters was designed specifically so he wouldn't get a good night sleep.

He looked around a hand coming up to rub at his fringe. Chakwas was humming away in the Med bay, her fingers thrumming away expertly as she entered a log of some sort. Most likely their last missions med reports. He was torn up pretty after that one. Not that he minded all that much. It was better than Shepard dead on the ground.

Which she would have been if he hadn't pushed her out of the damn way.

Lighting up his Omni-tool he checked the time. 2100. He had an hour to kill. He debated on going down to Engineering, just to check up on Tali. She'd seemed...distant to him lately. Shepard had told him not to worry, that she'd have a 'Gal talk' to her. But nothing seemed to change.

Shaking his head he thought better of it. Better to let it run its course, let Tali vent in silence for whatever reason she had.

No, he'd go speak with Thane, ask for insight on the new rifle he'd managed to haggle for. He had a few ideas for mods, but he wasn't exactly sure. And Thane being the only other sniper he thought of him as the best choice.

And so with a silent step he made his way to the drells room, his fingers dancing idly at his leg. He'd always respected the guy, actually enjoyed his intense gaze as the turian described in length his ideas and theories. And it was never like he was bad when it came to advice either.

Though sometimes he did seem to know more than Garrus wished.

He closed his eyes slightly with a sigh. It seemed he and Shepard was the worst kept secret of all time. Hell, he was surprised Mordin hadn't ambushed him yet. Considering the talk he'd had in the mess with Yeoman Kelly on her…'Interspecies Tendencies'. She'd brushed it off though, probably taking in the information and applying it to her next victim.

"I shall talk with you later Siha." The deep timber bass of the man he was looking for echoed through the hall. He heard a small chuckle and a separate pair of boots join the other. Shepard.

"You still not gonna tell me what Siha means huh?" He could tell from her voice she was amused. He could picture the way her lip seemed to pull at a corner, creasing her eye. He didn't know why, but he frowned. His mandibles pulling in tight against his face.

"Soon, but no not now." The tone of his voice put Garrus on edge and he didn't like it. Not one bit. They rounded the corner, and Garrus had to practically stop himself from rolling his eyes. Shepard was dressed in her usual Cerberus uniform, black shirt that seemed to cling to her frame and tight leggings. Her skin glistened from the slight sheen of sweat and she seemed to be panting. Thane's chest was moving slightly faster than what it usually did and Garrus had to wonder.

His visor blinked, and he could see their vitals. Their hearts were erratic and he couldn't help the slight smirk he wore as he noticed Thane favour his right leg.

"You two have fun?" He questioned, crossing his arm and leaning. Shepard mirrored his stance, her alien brow plate arching with a smirk.

"I beat his ass. 'Course I had fun."

Garrus shifted to the left as Thane passed with a small pat to his shoulder. He hadn't known why he'd gotten so worked up over nothing. He and Shepard were just a stress thing. She needed to relieve stress and he was more than willing to help.

"We should go up to the debriefing room. EDI, message Jack to meet us there."

"Of course Commander" The blue orb of the ships AI winked into existence and Garrus had to force himself not to jump. "Anything else Shepard?"

"Nope" Shepard clucked her tongue and she looked Garrus up and down. Her green eyes appraising him with a small smile.

"Logging you out Shepard" The AI spoke and then was gone.

The way she was openly staring at him made him nervous. But never uncomfortable, he reminded himself.

"So you were rather vague before." He pressed falling into step beside her as she seemed to march towards the debriefing room. He could see the smirk from the side of her face. "Why do I get the feeling you're bringing Jack along just to ruin the place?"

She chuckled at that. "You're not right. But you're not wrong either." She ran a hand through her hair and sighed, stopping to look at her friend. "The Illusive man has fucked up majorly. He wouldn't tell me the details. 'Need to know.'" She made quotation marks in the air. "But I get the feeling he's hiding something big. And he doesn't want everyone else to know just how bad he's screwed everything over."

Garrus nodded at that. Sounded like the Bastard. Send them out to do his dirty work.

"So where are we heading?"

"Noveria."

"What?"

"Noveria." She said plainly. It didn't go in better the second time. She grinned then, and moved around him so she stood in front of him. "Better get your warmest armour big guy. You know how much the turians hate the cold."

* * *

She decided then that though humans were better adapted to the cold. She didn't like it either. In fact she hated it. She guessed it still reminded her of when she died. Not something everyone else gets to say every day. She added cheerily.

The Cerberus base was underground, or so the mission brief the Illusive man had sent said. Perfectly hidden by all the snow and from prying eyes of the port miles and miles away. It surprised her that she'd be coming back here, especially what happened the last time. With Benezia and all.

It still hurt to remember Liaras face when her mother fell. Hurt even more to remember it was her fault she was dead. No, she chastised. It wan Saren. He killed the Matriarch. With indoctrination and his insanity.

She glanced about her. It looked like Saren had never visited. The snow was thick and encased most of their bodies. It wasn't the blizzard they'd had last time, not by a long shot. But still, it wasn't letting up any time soon.

"Joker, can you hear me?"

"The snow's making it a little hard Commander, but reading you loud and clear." His voice cracked slightly from the interference but it was clear and she could make it out pretty well.

"Good, trace our signal. If we aren't back in four hours get the med crew ready and come pick us up." She held her hand to her ear, and shouted across the wind. She noticed Garrus and Jack syncing up their omni-tools to hers, the orange glow tinting the white around them.

"Copy that Commander." The Comm clicked silent and she turned to face her crew.

Jack had actually decided to cover up more than usual, but not by much. Her shot gun hung low on her back and she bent over herself, arms wrapped around her.

"Can we hurry this the fuck up? My tits may fall off." She growled, pushing past Shepard and further into the snow. Jane rolled her eyes at that, unhooking her pistol and following after her biotic. She could hear Garrus grumbling behind her as he trudged through the bitter cold.

She recalled from the last time that he didn't particularly like the cold. Not that it stopped him mind. He still had her six through anything. Even the icy harshness of Noveria.

"Yo, Shepard. I think I found something!"

She shifted her head towards her friend. She was standing thigh deep in snow and looking pointedly at her commanding officer. She looked … annoyed? But Shepard guessed that was just how she always looked. her features perfectly school to look at someone with rage, or to spice things up, hatred.

"What is it?"

"What the fuck do you think? A unicorn? It's a fucking door Shep."

Jane rolled her eyes and shifted towards the other woman. And then she heard her feet thud against metal and she almost smiled in delight. If her cheeks weren't frozen stuck. It creaked slightly and Shepard moved off of it, stopping Garrus before his heavier weight bust it open. It was creaking already, Shepard didn't want to chance anyone falling in and breaking their necks.

"You think we could Biotic it open?" She asked, glancing her green eyes towards Jack. The woman rolled her eyes but readied her hands anyway with a roll of the shoulders, waiting for Shepard's word. "Okay on the count of three. One. Two. Three." And then she was heaving the iron weight upwards and she heard the metal creak and groan under the pressure.

It opened with a loud bang and the hinges snapped, making the weight of the snow push it down into the complex itself. She could feel her feet slipping, her heavy treaded boots useless against the slipping ice that caked the building's structure. She panicked, her arms flailing about her as she gravelled for grip. She could feel the air falling through her fingers, teasing her with the feeling of something solid only to find none. She noticed the metal floor, god knows how many feet below her, seem to get closer and she closed her eyes ready for impact.

But it never came. A heavy hand gripped at the back of her armour and yanked her back on her ass. Her body forming a small hole in the neatly packed snow.

"You okay Shepard?" Garrus knelt in front of her, his hand checking over her vents and seals. She rolled her eyes at that and pushed him away softly, holding out her hand to help her up. His eyes scanned her over and Shepard had to force down the knot that her stomach formed.

His hand gripped hers and pulled her up with a slight heave. His fingers lingering on hers for a fraction of a second. She shuddered slightly and his mandibles flared a fraction. She wasn't all that good at turian body language yet, but even she knew that that was a smile.

"Never better Vakarian."

"Do you think you two could stop eye fucking each other for a sec and help me get down here?"

Shepard pushed past the turian with a smirk, brushing up against his side as she moved. "Duty calls Vakarian."

* * *

The first three rooms turned out to be empty mostly. Save for the crazed human here and there. Their skin seemed to be burnt, something Shepard noticed as one came flying at her from her left. She'd shot it through the skull without a seconds thought, its eyes slowly losing the shine of life. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her gun still smoking from the small explosion within. Panting she walked towards it, kicking it with her foot to check if it was actually dead. when she was satisfied she knelt down, ripping open the torn and melted clothing. Its entire body was covered in boils and burns.

Recent too.

She could feel her squad members press close towards her back and she glanced up at them shaking her head.

"Let's go see what other nasty secrets daddy's been keeping" Jack snickered and Shepard straightened her self up, pointedly ignoring Garrus' glare at the back of the young biotic's head.

She led them down a small hall, the walls burnt and crisp. She didn't want to notice the outlines of where someone had stood when the fire started. But she did anyway. It didn't help that Garrus brought it up. He mentioned how _human _it looked, how whoever had stood there was long gone by now. They carried on for a little while, guns held high, hearts pounding away in their ears. There were fainting metallic noises up ahead, like something was pounding up against something. Shepard glanced back at her comrades, seeing the same look of nerves and fright that she knew she mirrored.

"Why are we here anyway? why couldn't the Illusive man send some of his own men to clean his shit up?" Jack pressed as they entered another room, it was smaller than the last, but held more crates and cargo. Shepard sighed, she'd been thinking the same thing. It would have just been easier if he'd sent his best in, like someone who wasn't trying to save the galaxy. But this was the Illusive man. God knows what was going on through his mind.

"Because whatever it is, he doesn't want anyone else to know." She looked past a column seeing nothing and stepped forward. "Hell all he said was. 'Shepard'" She imitated drawing on a cigar. "'My facility on Noveria has lost contact with us. It holds keys to winning the fight against the collectors. find out what happened.' and then he pissed of to go get some lung cancer."

Jack groaned, pushing herself up against a crate. Shepard had to admit, she didn't like it either. But for someone unknown reason she felt like she owed him a debt. Possibly for bringing her back, or for the fact he seemed like he wanted to genuinely help. Either or really. Shepard popped out from her place behind a small crate scanned the darkened room. Nothing so far. She stepped forward, pistol tight against her chest. It was a wonder she couldn't feel her heart through her armour, because she could certainly hear it in her ears like a god damn drum.

Garrus coughed and Shepard glanced back. "So we are searching for anything then."

"Pretty much yeah."

"Does this count as something?" He motioned with the tip of his gun and Shepard eyes followed. There was a door, singed to a crisp and barely holding on.

"Follow the fire burnt doors." She sing songed, mimicking that old classic. She tried not to notice the way Garrus was watching her, or the way Jack rolled her eyes. With a grunt the biotic forced the two metal pieces apart, growling as the muscles in her arms strained, She could have used her biotics, god knows she would usually. But that was the funny thing about Jack. She was as temperamental as the Illusive man. "Why is nothing easy?" She snatched the torch from her thigh and clicked it onto her pistol.

The biotic grinned, cupping her on the shoulder, sweat lacing her forehead. "'cause you wouldn't be Shepard if shit was easy."

"True that." Garrus chirped from behind her head, tantalisingly close. Too close for her to concentrate.

"Any bets we'll find more burnt people in here?" She asked, stepping slowly into the room, distancing herself from the turian.

"Oh I'd say the chances are pretty high." Garrus joked, sticking a torch onto his assault rifle and following her lead.

She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, the sound almost deafening compared the dark silence around her. She couldn't even hear Garrus or Jack breathing and had to glance backwards to check they were there. Garrus nodded at her, understanding her reasoning. Jacks eyes darted about frantically. She'd always said she'd liked the dark, that she felt secluded. But Shepard hazarded a guess that one of the punishments at her old cell was 'lights out'. Garrus chirped, urging her to press on, his cerulean blue eyes staring back at her. Which didn't help at all considering all she wanted to do was stare back into them.

And then she saw it. A small green light flickering to her left as she faced her squad. The flashing quickened and then it dawned on her.

"BOMB!" She screamed. They scrambled to whatever cover they could grab, each one leaping in the air. But it was too late.

She felt the force of the blast knock her backwards, her head smashing against the floor as she landed. She bit back her scream, white-hot pain flashing before her eyes. Damn it. she should have listened to Miranda. Her and her damn helmets. She saw Garrus fly over her head in the flash of the explosion his hollow bones allowing him to fly across the room and land with a sickening crunch. Jack groaned from beside her, the clicking of her shotgun sliding into her hand seeming loud against the rest of the thundering noise. Shepard gasped, head pounding, heart racing. Who ever had left that there was playing about.

"Garrus!" Shepard screamed, scrambling to her feet. The room was alight with fire, the near by crates burning from the blast. He lay slumped up against the wall, his leg twisted in the completely wrong way. "Fuck Garrus."

"I'm fine Jane. Honestly." He tried to move but howled in pain, cursing as his weight pulled him back down. He'd called her Jane. He _never _called her Jane.

"The bone in your leg is saying hello Garrus. You are not fine." She knelt beside him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and heaved him up. His good leg landed on the floor and he whined in agony. Her heart was almost breaking it was pounding that fast in her chest. It _hurt. _ "Jack!"

"I'm good Shep, my back hair's just singed." She heard the younger woman bite out a curse and slowly but steadily she hobbled along with Garrus.

A door had been blown open from the explosion. It wasn't that far a walk, but the way the fire seemed to lick up the walls and across the ceiling Shepard guessed they didn't have much time. She quickened her pace, ignoring Garrus' quiet pained chirping. Jack limped behind her, guarding her back as she stepped into the darkened hall, the light of the fire giving just enough light to see.

Jack ran on ahead, shotgun held high as she scanned the hallway. Garrus was getting heavier and his breathing was shallower. "Hey, look at me." She let go of his waist to cup the scarred side of his face, forcing him to straighten his back as they walked, to look at her. "You're gonna make it Garrus. I mean you took a rocket to the face. You'll survive this."

"But that was to save a damsel in distress Shepard. This isn't so heroic." he chuckled before hacking a cough. "Shit."

And then they were back to Shepard. Her heart tugged. "If I remember correctly it was me who pulled your sorry ass out of the fight."

"Details."

Shepard shook her head, shifting his weight and pushing forward. It seemed like forever before jack stopped, though it had only been a few seconds. Garrus heaved beside her, his breathing ragged and forced. Shepard didn't know if it was the pain of his leg or...Well the alternative she really didn't want to think about.

Jack paused, holding up her hand, a signal to stay. She gripped at her Shotgun agains and _slowly _inched forward. And then Shepard heard it. The small click of a gun. One that wasn't a friendly. "Who the fuck are you?" Jack asked into the darkness, her shotgun ready to shoot. There was a slight whisper and a scrape of heavy armoured boots across the floor. Jack's gun instantly honed in on the noise. "Stop right fucking now."

Shepard tried to peer over the biotics shoulder, but with Garrus hanging on her she couldn't. She heard the clicking of guns in front of her, echoing down the hall. Her heart beat in her chest and she searched the place for any sort of escape route.

She'd have to throw Garrus to the floor to even think about using her guns or biotics. But if Jack could blast them back, Shepard could slid under her arms. Jack would catch Garrus so Shepard could shoot the assholes down. But she knew she couldn't do that. It wouldn't be fast enough. The only option now was to hold their ground and die trying. Jack growled again when one of the other's spoke. It had a slight tang to it, like another layer than seemed to pitch at completely different levels to the original voice.

and then she saw the group of turians that seemed to loom over them.

"Commander Shepard what a pleasant Surprise."

"What the-Lorik? What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I could as you the same considering you're meant to be dead" His mandibles flared again and he motioned for one of his men to Close the door behind them. Or try to at least. "After you got me my evidence I realised how corrupt that place was. So I joined the Military. Like any good turian should." The soldier glared at the two humans as he passed, pushing into Jacks shoulder as she lowered her weapon with a snarl. She stepped back, scooping Garrus from under Shepard and helping him slide to a sit by the wall, his bad leg stretched out.

"Am I to guess that that bomb was your handy work?" He nodded, mandibles going tight against his face.

"Sorry about that. Thought those things were coming back."

"You mean the-" He cut her off, eyes darker than usual.

"The experiments? Yeah."

Shepards brows furrowed, forming a straight line. "What?" Her arms crossed against her chest, fingers fisting against her armour. She had no Idea what the hell he was on about. They'd come through the only way in. She was sure of it, and they hadn't seen any goddamn signs of experimentations. Lorik ran a hand across his fringe, his eyes wincing as she touched a sore spot.

"You mean you don't know?"

"Do I look like I know?" She growled, Stamping her foot angrily on the floor.

"Point taken Shepard. I just thought with you being with Cerberus and all-"

"I'm not with Cerberus. Let me just get that straight right now." She hissed, storming up him and grabbing at the front of his armour. She heard the click of a gun behind her head and she turned slowly, glaring at the young turian with a pistol pointed at her. "They brought me back from death. They're just a means to an end."

Lorik's mandibles clicked quizzically and he shifted his head down to look her straight in the eyes. He nodded to his subordinate and he backed down, the small growl she'd heard Garrus often do rumbling at the back of his throat. Lorik grabbed Shepards hand and pried her fingers away, softer than she would have thought.

"So I guess you have no idea about the kid."

* * *

***This has been edited. Like, a lot.***

**So I hope you enjoyed this. reviews welcomed. sorry if it's too long, just tell me if you want them made shorter or longer. I have no qualms.**

**anyway. thank you for reading x**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: ohmygosh. Thank you so much for the follows and faves. It made me squeal. thank you so much! x**

**wolf girl811: It's probably because I am really tired. But I'm not exactly sure what you mean. I've written this Chapter longer. and the kid will be revealed in this chapter. Sorry for being dumb, if you want to know anything else I'd be happy to answer.**

*******Edit* Rokubi: Thank you. I was reading it through and I can totally see what you mean. Thank you. It's just laziness on my part which is no excuse. Going to be going through chapter 3 tonight and edit that. also with the small children thing? You and me both sister, damn boy made me weep.**

******I edited the last chapter. This one is next. x**

* * *

Shepard pursed her lips, sucking in air. She was tired, her head was spinning and for fuck sake, Garrus' leg was practically hanging on by a thread. She was not in the mood for his games. But Lorik had been good to her last time she was on Noveria. Giving her his garage pass so she could beat the shit out of some Geth.

True it benefited him. But he still could have refused it afterwards.

With a sigh she ran her hand across her face, dragging her eyes down. "What kid Lorik?"

"You honestly don't know anything?" She shook her head. "Okay. Three days ago a turian Corvette was sent out to investigate the disappearances of a few salarian doctors who were helping some techies over at the port. Their last transmission was from here, and they just vanished off the radar. The council sent in a covert operation to see why. A mix of turians, salarians... you know the drill."

"Let me guess," She groaned. "They went missing too." He nodded clicking, his fingers.

"Bingo."

"But that still doesn't explain what _you _are doing here Lorik. You were Administrator at Port Hanshen. You were at the top and then…what. You just upped and left?" She poked at his armoured chest and he let out a low chuckle.

"Human terminology fascinates me." Shepard let out an exasperated groan. "But no. You remember how I told you I used to be military? Honestly, I don't think I've ever stopped."

"I can attest to that" Garrus coughed from the floor. Shepard's head whipped to look at him. He didn't look all that good. The skin on his neck was paler than usual and his plates held some sort of glow. The turians medic was looking over his leg, popping the bone back into plate after stripping it of its armour. She could hear the sub vocal whine he was letting off and it almost broke her resolve.

Lorik hummed behind her and she snapped back to attention. He was giving her that look Garrus did sometimes. Amused crossed with intrigued. She tended to not like that look.

"So commander Shepard. I have told you why I am here. What is your story? So to speak." His mandibles flared and he let out a small inquisitive hum. Shepard crossed her arms leaning back on her hip with a smile of her own.

"Oh you know. I died, got brought back by a terrorist group. Woke up in a lab that was under attack, had to fight my way out. Then got told I had to save the galaxy. Again. Recruited the best of the best and I get sent on little jobs for the Illusive man who thinks he owns me." She paused onto breath as she ticked the list off no her fingers. "Oh and now I've been sent to an underground lab it seems to see why the fuck his shit hit his over glorified fan."

"I can answer that last one." Lorik sighed, pointing his finger to himself. "We bust in here, guns blazing ready to take back the turians and salarians if they were still alive. But then the Cerberus scientists scattered with this human looking kid and they let their little experiments loose to kill us. We've been stuck in here for spirits knows how long."

"Six hours sir." A small turian to his right spoke up as her Omni-tool lit up the end of the hall. There was a door, fried to hell on both sides letting off small sparks from the key pad. The female turian turned to look towards the two, Omni-tool still bright. Shepard had never seen a female turian before, though they were scattered through the turian fleet and through C-sec no doubt. But still, her eyes had never landed on one.

So it came as a slight shock to see one hacking a door. She was of the same build as the male. Tall, built strong, a small waist and plates across what little skin Shepard could see. Her mandibles were a little less pronounced and sharp as the mens but still of the same general build.

But two thing stood out. Her eyes and the fact she had no long plates forming from her crown.

"Eurina." Lorik warned and the woman rolled her eyes.

"I know I know. But at least this time I said _sir, _sir." She turned back towards the door and began to type furiously at her Omni-tool.

"You mentioned this 'kid' earlier, and you know what? I still have no fucking clue." Shepard sighed pinching he bridge of her nose. "Lorik, you blew us up. I am really not in the mood for games right now."

"I know Commander I'm sorry." He glanced back towards the woman called Eurina, mandibles making quiet clicking noises. Something Shepard came to know as indecisive. He turned back to look at her, dark eyes gauging her reaction. "When we got here, in the room you just came out of the human scientists had this small human woman strapped to this table."

Shepard shook her head, lifting up a hand to stop him. "I thought you said kid."

"She was in her adolescence at the most, Commander. But that doesn't matter. She was screaming, that's what led us to her. They were pumping her full of something. What of, I have no idea. But she was begging them to stop. We managed to take one out before they set the other experiments on us. I can tell you they were keen to keep her alive Commander."

"Sound like Cerberus" Shepard nodded running a hand through her hair. "How long on that door?" She asked, glancing back toward Eurina. The woman turned back to glance at her, and grinned.

"I've got the basics down. You know, opening and closing. But they've triggered a safety fail. If I open the door, a tonne of those beasties will be running at us head first. And if we can get rid of them, we have the scientists to go through. And they looked a nasty bunch to kill ma'am."

She felt a human hand rest on her shoulder and looked up to see Jack grinning at her, shot gun resting over her shoulder. "Shit ain't easy Shep-"

"But I wouldn't be me if it was. Alright Eurina open the damn thing."

"Commander." Lorik placed a hand on Eurina's Omni-tool stopping her. "I'll come with you. You're down one turian as it is. You know I can help."

Shepard glanced at Garrus. He was shivering, his armour almost completely off now as the turian medic lathered on the medi-gel. His sub vocals playing hell with her translator. He glanced up, giving her a weak smile before nodding. It seemed to hurt him a great deal, because he hissed, mandibles squaring off against his head.

It did seem fair though, to bring Lorik along. He blew them up, the least he could do was save their asses. She nodded her consent and leant against the door wall.

"Give us some cover fire. Eurina close the door _as soon _as we are out. No longer." The woman nodded, lighting up her Omni-tool and punching some code in. The doors opened with a loud whoosh and then she heard the groaning.

Jumping from behind cover she unhooked her shotgun, pumped it and shot. The lead tore straight through one, leaving a hole in its chest before she pumped again firing another shot at the one behind it. From her right she heard Jack laugh, her shotgun going off relentlessly. Paired with her biotics the poor bastards never stood a chance.

"I will destroy you!" She taunted, flaring blue and running headlong into a mass of the things.

Shepard hissed, spinning out of ones reach. It had snuck up on her, grappling at her arm, clawing and hissing for any sort of gavel on her body. She grunted, feeling its weight land on her side. With a growl her biotics flared, sending the damn thing flying across the room into Lorik s line of fire.

The turian was grinning again, a hail of never ending bullets flying from his assault rifle. He slid behind cover just as the mass of burnt flesh got to large. He laughed, mandibles flaring wide and popped out, shooting bursts of bullets. He downed a few before he un-gloved himself, throwing his assault rifle onto his back and leaping into the pile.

His claws seemed longer than Garrus' she noted.

He cackled again and before she could blink he was covered in rotting flesh and blood, his chest heaving. So that's how the Turians used to fight before weapons. Rip the throat of their enemy and show it to them. Literally. Shepard turned away, her feet slowly picking up pace as she ran towards the furthest door. The door that evidently had a rather large group of the rotten things clawing at it.

Flaring up her biotics she leaped, kicking against a small wall. Throwing out a shockwave of blue energy towards them, she unhooked her pistol from her leg. She noticed Jack running towards her, Shotgun held high and scattering bullets. Shepard pulled the trigger, sending shot after shot through their heads before landing with a roll.

Lorik jogged to her side as the last one fell. His armour caked in shit she didn't even want to think about. He was panting hard, hands resting on his knees as he bent over.

"Well." He gasped. "That was fun."

"Never seen a Turian go all Hannibal Collector before." Jack holstered her shotgun, leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed. Lorik s brow plate shifted slightly and his mandibles flared.

"Human thing" Shepard interjected before Lorik could ask. He nodded knowingly, waiting for Shepard to elaborate. When she didn't he simply sighed.

They couldn't delay it any longer, bringing up her Omni-tool she pushed her palm against the door, bypassing it. Jack and Lorik placed themselves either side of the door, varied weapons pushed up against their chests which heaved to steady themselves. The red light flashed green and the door opened.

* * *

All she could remember was the screaming. The agony of it all. They had promised her she was the galaxy's only hope. that she alone would save them from the reapers. But that was when she was a good girl. When she didn't know what went on beyond those metal walls. When her 'father' had come, he'd brought in that white powdery substance. His black hair and pale greenish skin dusted with the stuff.

That's when things went wrong really.

They couldn't sate the curiosity of a child. And she'd escaped when he'd left. hiding herself expertly behind the many crates and boxes until she reached the shuttle doors. The opened up and she had had to shield her eyes from the glaring light. Unnaturally strong as it reflected off miles of thick white powder. She'd later learn was called snow.

And then they'd found her hiding and dragged her back by her hair, thrown her in her room and turned off the light.

But it was too late. As the years passed, the small girl grew. And not even they could stop her seeing that thing called snow.

She guessed that was why she was here now, screaming her throat dry as they pumped her full of that damn thing.

'_Pain makes power.' _

But her father had wanted more. He wanted his prodigy to be better, faster, stronger. More powerful than anyone had ever seen.

And so she lay, pipes and god knows what else feeding through her vains. She only hoped those bird like men would come get her sooner. Because whatever the hell they were, they were better than these savages.

* * *

The noise of the door startled the scientists, that much Shepard could tell. Or at least the screaming of one told her as much. It was a wonder she could hear it over that poor kids agonised pleas for them to stop.

"Who are you?" One asked, a tall slender woman stood before them, her hair still perfectly shaped even though she was obviously frazzled.

"I'm commander Shepard, who the hell are you?" The scientist's posture slackened then, her arms reaching out for the commander. Though she stopped when she noticed the pistol pointed at her head. Shepard didn't like this not not one bit. She was pissed that the Illusive man had tod her fuck all about any of this. And just expected her to _accept _the fact they were experimenting on a child. an adolescent child, but still young to her.

"Thank god you're here those turian Bast-Wait..you're with them aren't you?" Her eyes ghosted over Lorik who growled in response, pushing against her with his gun. The woman gasped in response, almost falling on her ass in shock.

"I'd be very careful with what you say miss..."

"Elysia Traynor. The Illusive man had told me you were with us now." Shepard could see the other Scientists stop and stair at her, their expressions guarded. The girl was panting, her head thrashing wildly against the table.

"I'm not with you. The only damn reason I'm here is because he brought me back from the brink of death. Otherwise I'd leave the turians slaughter your Terrorist asses."

"We are not Terrorists." A man from the back spoke up, stepping down the small steps that lead to the steel bed. "We serve to create, not destroy"

"And I suppose killing them," Lorik said, pointing with his gun to a small pile of salarian and turian corpses. Each one mauled and sliced. "was creating. Not destroying."

"In order to create, one must first destroy." Elysia murmured, turning to look back at the girl again. She was thrashing again, eyes wide and begging whoever they landed on to stop. "She is beautiful isn't she?"

"Yeah, damn gorgeous. I especially love the way she's screaming in agony. That's so alluring." Shepard deadpanned, moving her pistol where Elysias head shifted. Her eyes shot back to the Commanders, a small smile growing on her lips. The man sighed, glancing from one to the other. Lingering on the girls form more than the Commanders.

"We were making her for special. She is genetically engineered to be perfect. Like the Infamous Miranda Lawson." Shepard growled. The man only grinned in response "I see you know Miss. Lawson well. She was a brake through. Truly the first of her kind. When the Illusive man found out what her father had created, he tracked him down. We learnt his secrets, and made this." His hand ghosted through the air, gesturing to the whining girl.

"We call her Athena. The Goddess of wisdom and Warfare. She is not yet complete. The bonding must finish before we can leave." Elysia's voice had taken on an airy sound. as if the mere mention of this 'Athena' made her better. As if she worshipped her. Shepard scowled, fingers tightening on her gun. No. She didn't like this at all.

"What the fuck do you mean Bonding? What the hell are you doing to her?" Jack growled before Shepard could say anything. Her shotgun rose, shifting from one scientists to another.

"The master wished for her to be stronger. Better. We had to take the best from each race to fix her. She was not perfect." The scientists all nodded in unison and Shepard shivered. She felt the bile rise in her throat as a woman towards the back push at one of the pipes, the fleshy slurping noise reaching even her ears.

"Wait," Lorik whispered, glancing back at the corpses. "When you say fix..."

"We modified her DNA. we took what made up the structural ideal of your species' best qualities. And we gave them to her." Elysia looked back wistfully, turning to stand next the Athena's bed. She stroked her unusually coloured hair like a mother would her child.

"What the fuck.. Shep we can't leave them do this to her." Jack spoke urgently, doubting whether the Commander would stop this. She shouldn't have to, Shepard knew this was wrong. But they were stuck here if she didn't agree with them. Only they knew the way out. If she didn't play this right they would all die. The turians included. And as much as she loved dying the first time, she really didn't want to repeat it.

"But you must" Elysia spoke again, turning her harsh gaze upon the tattooed woman. "The master will be very angry with us if she is harmed in anyway."

"I don't give a shit what the Illusive man thinks. This ends now." Jack growled.

"He is not our master." It was the mans turn to speak now. He stood between Jack and Elysia, a guard as it were. "His eyes are that of black, and hair to match. He is a tool of death."

"Then I'd love to meet him. Make him see what death really tastes like." Jack bit out, pushing the man back with her gun.

"Enough!" Shepard yelled, grabbing at the shotgun and pulling it down. "If you help us out, the turians included. We will let you live."

"Shepard." Lorik growled. She dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Lorik, Jack. go get the others." Both glared at her, hesitating. "Now." She didn't bother turning to watch them leave, simply pressed her hand to her ear. "Joker, Make sure grunt and Thane are waiting for us by the door. we are going to be holding a few extra _passengers._" She emphasised the word, hoping to god Joker would understand what she meant.

"Understood Commander, I'll send Samara and Tali to, uh, _prepare a room for our guests _now."

With a Final click to her comm, she watched as the scientists unhooked Athena from whatever hellish contraption they'd set her up in. Pipes blew and a mixture of thick blueish liquid and gas spewed out of them. She girl let out another guttural scream, body raising before landing limp. Well hell, this was going to be fun.

* * *

The turians had managed to set up shop in the Cargo bay when Shepard had finally left the Comm room. The Illusive man was none to happy with her derision but quite frankly he could go fuck himself for all she cared. He'd left her the responsibility of stopping the damn collectors, he could damn well live with a few nut job scientists getting what they deserved. A one way trip to Citadel Security.

And hopefully the death penalty for what they'd done to that woman.

Mordin had grabbed her instantly, Chakwas hot on his heals with Garrus hobbling along behind him, Eurina holding him up as best as she could. Shepard didn't like the small pang of jealousy that seemed to knot in her stomach. The way the turian woman was looking at Garrus, just didn't settle right. Not at all.

But, she reminded herself, he wasn't hers to feel like that. They hadn't 'done the deed' so to speak. She was human anyway, he was a turian. What the hell would he see in her? Well, he had agreed to have sex with her, that must mean _something. _But then again, turians dealt with sex differently. They used it only to relieve stress. It probably only meant he trusted her enough _to _have sex with. Nothing more, Nothing less.

Slumping down against the Comm room door she sighed. She hated feelings. They always got in the damn way. First with Liara and then damn Kaiden had to join in. She didn't feel like that for either of them, actually she saw Liara as more of a sister than a lover. And Kaiden? damn his opinions annoyed her, but somehow he always managed to make her see a different side to the argument. And that pissed her off to no end.

And now with Garrus, she had no clue what she wanted. She wanted to be his friend, listen to whatever he had to say. But then there was the physical side to him. She didn't know what it was, but she just found him so manly. It could be something to do with the fact he could take a clean shot a 100 yards away. Or beat someone to a pulp.

But she found him damn sexy.

And that there was the problem.

Shaking her head she stood, decidedly ignoring the way her shoulder ached. She'd have to find a way to get back at that damn turian for his bomb. She wanted to go check on the girl, Athena, but Mordin would probably shoo her out. And Garrus was there, having his leg properly seen to. She should go see him, hell it was her fault to start with. She was the one who brought him along.

* * *

"Hows our favourite turian doing?" Shepard asked as soon as the medbay doors opened. The turian in question was laying still on a steel bed as Chakwas preened over his body. It wasn't like she hadn't seen him topless before. But this was the first time she'd seen him without _anything on. O_nly his pride to cover him. She felt the hear rise in her face before she could do anything about. She had to force her eyes not to linger on the musculer chest he was sporting. Or how his plates seemed to shift as he noticed her watching him.

"Ah Commander." The doctor smiled, pushing down on Garrus shoulder when he tried to get up to cover himself. Shepard unsteadily forced a wink his way. _If Turians could blush... _"He's doing fine. Though I must ask you dodge the explosives next time. I'm not sure his lungs could take another hit like that."

Garrus groaned, his hands strategically resting on his lower area. "You make it sound like I'll die the next time."

Chakways swatted him on the shoulder, taking on a motherly tone. "You very nearly died this time young man. if it wasn't for the fact you moved away from the worst of it, I'd be inspecting a corpse." Garrus scowled, mandibles clicking annoyed. She had to smile at that. The fact Garrus was acting like a pouting son. Reminded her of what she was like with the ships medic when ever she would get a cough.

"How's she doing?" Shepard turned to look at the Salarian.

"Unstable. Mixture of dextro-amino tissue troubling. Surprised she has survived this long." Mordin spoke up from where Athena slept. Well sleeping isn't what Shepard would call it, more like heavy meds.

"What did they do to her?" She asked, coming to stand next to him. He glanced up at the Commander blinking thrice before scowling down at the body in front of him.

"Replaced eyesight with Turians. Modified regenerative process to match Krogans. Salarian dexterity and mind. Troubling." His finger tapped away at his lower lip. She knew he'd saved her the scientific jargon, remembering the last time he'd tried to explain things like that to her. It didn't end up well for either of them. "Not expecting to last the night."

Shepard nodded, patting his shoulder. "Message me if anything changes."

"Of course Commander"

* * *

**A/N: I feel like it's too long, and that I'm boring everyone and failing and I'm terrible at writing. This is why I don't post all my stuff on here. I get nervous. Eugh. Anyway. I hope that clarified a few things? Hopefully? Did I even make sense? I hope I did. As always, please review, it makes me a better writer and then you guys won't think I'm terrible. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry This took so long. Family problems that you guys really shouldn't hear me rambling on about. Plus the fact, this laptop I am dealing with doesn't have Microsoft Word. Or anything like that. So I downloaded LibreOffice. It's damn good. Better than I'd hoped. I tried to send this to a Beta (who is awesome btw.) But because new laptop and everything, damn thing wouldn't send. Anyway. Enjoy x**

* * *

She couldn't exactly tell how she knew there were people talking. She guessed it was just the tone of the noises she heard. One slithering around her mind like liquid, the other, well the other sounded exactly like those bastards that named themselves 'Cerberus'. The people that liked to to think pain was their most potent weapon. But in the end it just got them killed. Hopefully.

the voices spoke up again and she had to force herself not to flinch away from the noise. Noise usually meant more tests, more pain.  
But these were different, calmer. And she could almost tell what they meant just through tone alone. Something she was was glad she'd taught herself. The people who'd raised her weren't always bad, they did have moments of kindness. When she was smaller, younger, they would read her to sleep. When she would injure herself training they'd give her the rest of the day off. Though the next morning's regime would be harder. And so many hours longer.

The smooth, liquid voice spoke and she could feel whoever owned it move around her, most likely motioning with it's arms. Or whatever appendages it had.

"It looks like she's reacting to outside stimuli." That, she understood. They had used those words many times when they'd knocked her out from over exerting her. Father had not been pleased about that. "Should we induce sleep? or allow her to wake up? Dr. Solus?"  
The thing had a name? When they'd shown her vids of the things she was meant to kill, they'd told her they didn't had names. That they were solely savages bent on killing whatever stood in their paths. She couldn't see the difference herself.

Solus made a noise, replying to her. How she understood him she would never know, but she heard the other make a noise. A low hum, and she could just imagine whoever it was resting their fingers on their lips.

"Sedate her. I'll go get the Commander."  
and then she heard the footsteps distance themselves for her, and she knew what was about to happen. She braced for the pain of a needle, the feel of the sharp edge puncturing her skin and no doubt the sly punch whoever administered it would give when no one was looking. The guards didn't like her very much. Not when she would kill them when her powers would get out of control.

But she didn't feel any pain, only a soothing noise and a warm, hand? If you could call it that, wipe at her arm, the slight pressure of the needle puncture only the smallest amount of her skin. She could feel her lids fall further towards her cheeks, sending her into a peaceful lul. The meds took effect soon after and she fell into the dark abyss of sleep.

* * *

Shepard groaned, stretching out on her bed. "You know," She started, turning towards her companion. "Garrus thinks you hate him" She sipped quietly on the straw that poked out of her beer bottle. Tali sighed beside her, her own bottle resting against her chest.

"I don't hate him. You know that right?" Shepard nodded and Tali sighed again. "It's just, Reegar is still out there without me and seeing you and Garrus... it hurts more than I thought it would. We could die with the collectors, or with the reapers, tomorrow. and he still doesn't know how I feel. Hell Shepard, I don't even know how I feel."

"And you're worried you'll never see him again." Shepard finished, sitting up and watching her friend trying to place the straw through her suit.

"I'll talk to Garrus. Tell him to, uh, not be so obvious with the blowing off steam."

"No no no." Tali groaned, sitting upright quickly. She wobbled a bit, the obvious signs of the beer taking hold. "I mean, he isn't that obvious, he's better than you. But, Shepard you'll hate me."

She shook her head, placing her hand, though unsteadily, on her friends arm. "I could never hate you Tali."

The quarian sighed a breath of relief before turning to face the Commander. From what Shepard could tell she was nervous, though the fact she could only see her eyes and the outline of her nose didn't exactly give any hints. Shepard had always wondered what Tali looked like under the suit. Not in a sexual manner, just from curiosity. She guessed, from the shapes she could see outside the suit, she was more humanoid than the turians, and garrus, but still completely alien to her. She wondered if she had hair as well, doubtful considering humans were the only race that did.

She heard Tali cleared her throat, arm resting on Shepards. Right, yeah, she wanted to tell her something."You remember how Garrus was on the old Normandy?." She waited for Shepards response, but when it didn't come she carried on. "He was always following you around like a varren pup. wanted your opinion on every little thing he did."

She had to chuckle at that, it had annoyed her to begin with. But she could see the obvious change she had on him. The fact that he'd wanted to join C-sec again, sign up for spectre training. Because of her. Well it made her feel like she had an effect on her squads lives without just shouting orders. That they actually respected her as a person, not just idolised her because of Akuze.

"Yeah Tali, I remember. But what has that got to do with why you're ignoring him?"  
Tali shook her head, straw in hand and trying to fit into her suit. "Well," She started. "he's the only other Dextro on here. I thought we shared something back then, though now I think back it was a stupid reason. He only had eyes for you Jane. literally, how you couldn't see is beyond me." She chuckled and sipped at her straw. Jane was at a loss, he couldn't have liked her back then. Hell they'd argued over opinions almost all the time.

He was all about 'the ends justify the means', and she most definitely not. She knew she couldn't save everyone, she wasn't that much of an optimist. But damn it, if the quick way meant endangering everyone just to get that one bad guy. You were no better than that ass hole.

"Tali, explain."

"Okay, okay. So one night, after that compound you went to for Nassana Dantius and you'd ripped the poor Mako apart, I found Garrus sitting with Wrex. They were arguing over something, you know how krogan and turians butt heads. But it wasn't the usual 'your fighting style is wrong' or the 'Genophage was a mistake ragh'" Shepard had to laugh at Tali's useless impersonation of the Krogan. She hadn't seen Wrex in a while, not since Virmire. They were going to go to Tuchanka soon, for Grunt and Mordin. She knew he'd said he'd never go back, but a small part still hoped she'd find him there.  
Stupid she knew, but he seemed like the only person who got her dry sense of humour. Well, except for Garrus, but she didn't want to have sex with Wrex.

"They were arguing over a woman." That got Shepards attention, and Tali noticed. She didn't cower back like she would have before, she simply stared shepard down. Or she would have if she could have seen her eyes. "I thought they were talking about you, Garrus was saying how 'it was reckless that she keeps running into fire like that. Doesn't she know what cover is?' Wrex didn't agree obviously, he kept saying how to stand your ground and glare at the whites of your enemies eyes before you shoot their head off."  
Shepard laughed, swigging the last of her beer down. "Sounds like Wrex"

"Yeah." Tali sighed, swishing the contents of her own drink. "I miss that Krogan. He'd always pester me down in engeneering, much to Adam's dismay." She chuckled again and glanced at the Commander. "They were talking about me you know. I was shot down in that base remember? Ran a fever almost instantly. I thought Garrus maybe meant more, that maybe he cared about me. So I..." She sighed, glancing up at Shepard, glowing eyes dimming.

"Tali, I don't mind honestly. It's in the past." Shepard placed her hand on her friends arm and the quarian's shoulder relaxed instantly.

"Thanks Shepard. I guess seeing you both all..."

"Lovey dovey?" Shepard spoke the word with a frown.

"Hey, it's cute honestly. But yeah, reminds me of how much I embarrassed myself. He politely told me he only saw me as a sister and that no, he would not like to do the turian tango with me."

If Shepard could have seen Tali's face she was sure she would see her blush. Especially considering she couldn't stop the laugh that ripped through her throat. Her chest heaved from the exertion, her arms wrapped around huffed and mockingly punched her friends arm.

"You little Boosh'tet." She groaned, hardly able to cover giggle.

It was things like this she would miss. She knew she would have to hand herself over at one point. She knew the alliance was just allowing her to carry on because she was 'helping'. She was actually doing something about the missing colonies, unlike them. The council couldn't give a damn, and if they did, they wouldn't help. It had taken all of her strength to not go up and bitch slap the lot of them, given that she'd saved their scaly asses. But no, after all she had done for them, they'd spat it back in her face.

And Anderson hadn't told her about Ash being on Horizon. She felt betrayed, Anderson was like her father. Damn it, he was there when dad had died. She'd felt lost and hurt and confused. The doctors had told her years, not weeks. And then the alzheimer's had taken him and her heart was ripped out of her chest. Her mother hadn't even had the energy to speak. She was a shell of the woman she'd used to be. Her mother didn't leave the Captains side for months, giving that the three had been friends since the first Contact War. She wasn't sure at what period of it, but she knew around that area.  
But then, he'd sent Ash to spy on her. And when she wouldn't even listen... well frankly she didn't want to think about that right now.

"Shepard... Everything okay?" Tali asked, resting a three fingered hand on her shoulder. She shook her head, clearing her mind of thoughts.

"Just thinking about Horizon." She admitted quietly. She didn't want to have to explain about her father, no one else knew. Not even Garrus. And considering that he managed to get her to tell him everything recently, that was saying something.

"How was she?" Tali spoke softly, like a sister, but Shepard could sense the underlying tone of hurt and betrayal.

"She wouldn't even listen. She saw Cerberus. That's it. Hell Tali, they attacked the flotilla, and you still joined."

"Technically Shepard-"

"And you know what's worse? She said I betrayed her, like it was my fault I was dead and I had no idea what was going on around me because I was dead." her voice cracked and she glanced down into her now empty glass, biting back the sob. Damn it, Ash was like family. And she just...it made her think. If Ash could just abandon her like that. Leave her, even when she begged her to stay. Tali, Joker...Garrus. They could to. She wanted to cling to them, beg them not to leave her. But distance herself, so when they did it wouldn't hurt as bad.

"We wouldn't leave you Jane. You know that." And then she was suddenly thankful for Tali's ability to read her mind. She felt the quarians arms wrap around her shoulder, pulling her as close as her suit would allow and rested her helmeted head on her shoulder. "Zaeed is the only one who would leave. And that is because there is money else where."

Shepard chuckled, wiping her eyes. She hadn't meant for the tears to slip pit. "Probably sell his own mother if he got paid enough." Tali's arms tightened and then she was gone. The bed bounced as weight shifted and Shepard glanced to her side. She was leaving, placing a bottle on the stand beside Shepards bed and straightening her suit.

"I should go before I'm too drunk to stay awake" She slurred, her voice marred by the effects of alcohol already.

"You are welcome to stay here if you wish. Dunno why they gave me this large a bed anyway." Shepard tried to keep the pleading from her voice, but by the way Tali's shoulders gave, she knew she hadn't.

"Of course Jane. But, shouldn't Garrus be keeping your bed warm... and not you kick ass quarian sister?" Her voice was innocent, but Shepard knew her too well to think it was true.

"Bite me Tali." She groaned, throwing her head back into the pillows. "The only way he'd get in here right now was if turned into the thanix cannon,stripped naked and tempting him with those damn calibrations he's so in love with." Tali chuckled but she knew the truth behind her friends words. Tali had been avoiding Garrus, but that still wasn't enough to not notice how he seemed to dodge the Commander every time she went to visit him in his little hole. Or how every conversation ended the same 'can it wait for a bit, I'm in the middle of some calibrations.' And damn it, Shepard just wanted to vent to him. He had that way with her, she would just spill her guts to him and he would listen, insistent as ever and send her up to bed.

It was that care and attention, paired with the badass that had replaced the cautious and over eager youngster, that made her fall for him. But then she'd offered to have something with him, and he's the only things he would talk about is research on turian human sex or the damn Thanix cannon. And frankly it was annoying for both women.

"Yeah, I've noticed."

"Yup."

"He's just.."

"Nervous" Shepard finished recalling what he'd said before 'Nervous, but never uncomfortable'. "I know. So about Kal'Reegar..." Her grin couldn't be contained as Tali groaned, three fingered hand landing on her masks face. "Spill."

* * *

Garrus' fingers seemed relentless as the Thanix fought back. Each time he would write a new algorithm the damn thing would alter again and the process would start fresh. Honestly, he knew EDI was more than capable of doing it herself. But he wasn't about to let an AI touch the weapons he installed. So no, it was better for him to do it, than someone who wasn't familiar with turian weaponry. Even though she did have a vast network on such things. He shook his head. Damn he needed to get out more.

But, he guessed, taking down collectors was more important than his sanity right now. Or at least it seemed that way. Or hoped. He wasn't all that sure.

The console hummed suddenly and Garrus cursed. Damn thing, had to keep on top of it all the time. One small nudge and the calibrations were off more than he cared for. Which meant more time in this small hole that seemed to hide him away from everyone else. Which probably made him seem like a recluse. Which in a way he was. He couldn't deal with everyone, as much as he wished he could. He missed Tali, but she was ignoring him, Liara wasn't there. Hell he even missed Wrex.

Seemed the only 'original' person on this damn ship was Shepard, well, the only one who had any interest in him at least.

And still he couldn't look at her properly, not without getting hot under the collar. That damn waist. He groaned into the palm of his hand, two fingers and thumb dragging across his plates. Women. that recon scout hadn't given him half as many feelings as this human did. She'd been more...simple, he supposed. It was just quick, a way to relieve stress. Hell, that's what he and Shepard were meant to have, but his feelings got in the way. She'd saved him twice already. Even if she didn't know it.

Once from the rogue C-Sec agent he was sure he'd become, and again now, from the depressed violent vigilante he was.

She had no idea how much he owed her.

"Is that so?" A deep, rasping voice questioned behind him.

Garrus whipped around, the long plates that crested to the back of his head catching on his cowl. He hissed in pain and rubbed it gingerly. Damn he hated that drell sometimes.

"Thane." He spoke, crossing his arms and resting against the consol. With a quick scan of his Omni-tool the system cut off making the room dark. "What do you need?"

The drell stepped towards him, hands resting behind his back, like always. He really hated how the man could sneak up on you. Pu him on edge.

"I wish simply to talk. How is your leg?" Oh yeah, his leg. With its mention he could feel the uneasy throbbing that radiated from his knee. It was healing, but he wouldn;t be going on any mission any time soon.

"It's fine. Why do you ask?"

"I noticed a female turian carry you in. I noticed she had the same colour clan marking as your own." He stated simply, straightening his back. Garrus scowled.

"Many Turians share the same colour markings Krios. Doesn't mean they're all related." His mandibles tightened against his face, the pressure almost hurting his jaw. "It's the shape that counts."

"This I know, but the fact that her sub-vocals were that of care I assumed-"

"Her mother was my mother's sister. She died when she was born."

"I see." Thane's voice deepened and he stepped closer towards his friend. "I suggest you tell the Commander. She did not look all too pleased that she could not hold you herself."

"Trust me, Shepard has nothing to worry about." Garrus mumbled. No, _she _had nothing to worry about. It was him that should be worrying. He'd seen the way men of almost every species stared at her. Hell most of the women did too. Liara was one of the worst, on the first Normandy she would hint, slowly touch her shoulder as they spoke. Garrus was sure they'd almost kissed once, though Shepard denied it. Yeah, she shouldn't worry one bit.

"I am not the one you should be telling."

Well, he had him there. Though he didn't exactly know how. It wasn't like Shepard and he had _anything. _They were...just a hook up. A one time thing.

"Yeah Krios. I know." A small orange light flashed to his lower right. His Omni-tool. He answered it almost instantly, fingers dancing across the light. "That's odd"

"What?"

"Chakwas wants to see me." He said, voice confused. Chakwas had told him to stay clear of the infirmary. Something about no need to come back and an unstable little girl that was probably, how did she put it? 'loose one to many screws.' But no. there it was the urgent message marked urgent. Garrus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He clicked answer and the holo of Chakwas illuminated the room.

_"Garrus! Get Grunt and the Commander!_ -_Athena STOP!"**  
**_

And then the connection cut and Garrus could hear the loud dent from where he was standing. He glanced up at the drell, his dark eyes understanding instantly.

"I shall get the Krogan" His raspy voice hadn't even left his throat and he was already moving down the hall of the Thanix canon, running towards the cargo bay.

Garrus pushed himself up and off the control system, his bad leg hardly carrying him as fast as he wished.

When he got to the med bay windows, he understood perfectly what 'situation' entailed.

* * *

She could see their faces behind her eyelids. Those poor bird like men screaming in agony as the bastards ripped their eyes from their sockets. The only thing that distracted her from their agonised screams were her own. Each time they would take one of the prisoners away, she would hear the rustle of medical equipment behind her. They kept her sedated most of the time.

But she could still feel every single mark they left on her.

The eyes were the worst. She could see the scalpel as they made the 'necessary adjustments to the DNA they'd grown her with.' They'd replaced her eyes with what ever those things were. And it scared her how much she could see with them.

She'd had green eyes, almost neon in colour. She'd liked them when she was younger, they made her hair almost glow red. But now? Each surgery turned them a lighter shade of blue. And her hair grew lank and thin, turning from a vibrant red to a dark dismal brown. Her father preferred that. Meant she could kill better, the red would have given her fingers itched beside her, the metal restraints digging into her wrists. Even now, when she was too weak to think, they feared her.

And they should, she thought. She'd killed countless things. Random people they'd captured. Random creatures her father would bring in for 'interrogation'. They'd always pump her full of drugs before they'd throw her in. Her eyes would drive her crazy, see things that weren't always there.

When she'd come to, she'd be covered in blood, fingers deep with the insides of what ever poor sod she'd ripped apart. They would goad her, force her to watch her destruction back. Her father was proud.

She on the other hand, wanted to burn her very flesh.

She heard the slithering voice again and moaned. That damn noise, made her skin squirm. It was like it was seeping into her soul.

"Mordin...It's humanest thing to do. She's not natural, she shouldn't be alive by all rights" They wanted to kill her, she could sense it. And she would not let that happen. She deserved life like any other. She tried to pull at her restraints, but they seemed to tighten around her wrists. She didn't like this, she didn't want it. She just wanted to be left alone. To live without murder. But the anger seemed to boil inside her. She pulled again, harder this time. She heard the metal creak. She groaned.

something rustled beside her and she knew they were onto her. She tugged again and again, restraints digging deeper into her skin. If she could just..Aha. With a pop, and a quick flare of biotics she was free. She tried to open her eyes but the light of the room seemed to burn through her think human skin. Damn eye sight.

"It's okay. shh, calm." She felt smooth skin on her shoulder, and hissed. They always touched her. she'd fallen for it when she was younger but now? not so much. They always liked to pretend to be nice, before they would yank her by the hair and force her to do what they said. The men really got a kick out of that. She forced her eyes open, growling as the light burnt her eyes. Her biotics flared, and she pushed herself up. She would not be their tool again.

With a grunt she swung her legs across the table, her bare feet hitting against the metal floor. The cold sent a shock straight into her core and she growled. She wouldn't let them kill her. Not this time. She was out of that damn hell hole, and no one was going to get in her way of freedom. As soon as her feet landed she was running, her whole body flaring blue. She opened her eyes just long enough to see the insignia of the group that revelled in her pain. She heard a yell, and glanced to her left.

The woman, the one with the British accent was screaming down an orange thing. her voice trembling. She had to go before she called back up. Twisting her course she screamed. Her hands glowed, the metal room reflecting the blue light endlessly.

"Garrus! Get Grunt and the Commander-Stop Athena!" but it was too late. Her fist met with the womans jaw and she crumpled to the floor. the loud crunch was like music to her ears and she twisted on her heal, eyes scanning the room for the slithering voice. Her eyes met with large black ones and she couldn't help the grin on her face when she noticed the gun. So he wanted to play?

She'd show him exactly how to play.

She rounded on him, her walk slow and deliberate. Shot after shot bounced off her, embedding themselves into the rooms walls. He wasn't a bad aim. His race considering. They'd run experiments on his kind. They'd screamed for hours on end. Poor sod probably thought he had a chance to escape. Her bare feet padded across the floor, her biotic shield reflecting each thing he gave her. He stood no chance, and he knew it. She only stopped when her claws clutched his throat and squeezed.

She may not have liked it, but she knew how to kill.

* * *

**A/N: I'll Edit it tomorrow. It's 5 AM with me. I need to actually sleep. Sorry for shittiness. Nothing really happens in this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

She felt the one named Mordin Solus scream under her fingers, the sheer force of her biotics almost ripping at his slithery flesh. He panted, his weird down turned mouth opening in agony. She hated doing this, she did, truly. But if she didn't kill him, god knows what they would do to him. She's seen to many of the things ripped apart by the previous experiments. Sometimes they were their friends.

It screamed, it's voice leaking into the back of her mind. "Shut up!" She yelled, tightening her fingers around it's throat. She couldn't take it any more. She couldn't take that voice. So calm, tranquil. It was like soothing water in her brain. She didn't like it. She couldn't stand it. They'd used that voice like a drug when she was younger. They would soothe the ache only to hurt her more.

She didn't trust it.

It moved again, three fingers gripping at what ever it could find. One hand on her own throat, the other searching for something around him. She could feel the soft pats on the floor, and she knew what he was looking for. The damn gun she'd knocked out of his hand.

With a sudden burst she jumped backwards, diving behind one of the beds. Shots flew past her head and she ducked further, feet pushing against the wall. Damn it. She hadn't expected that. She'd thought she'd kicked it far enough away. But she wouldn't let him win, he was just another test subject. One to better understand what they'd done to her.

She glanced up, watching its reflection in one of the long glass windows. It was standing by the door, feet firmly planted and standing above the human with the British accent. It spoke and the woman groaned in reply. She didn't exactly know what she said, but she could tell it wasn't happy. Mordin stooped low, giving out his hand and helping the woman up. But, why? She would be the one to kill him, the one to rip out his brain and dissect it slowly in front of her. Teach her that _this _was what those damn races deserved. Pain, torture. Extinction. Humans were the true rulers of the galaxy, and they would dominate all.

And then it dawned on her. They were together. They needed the alien to understand what was going on in her brain. They needed to know how to control her again.

She peeked past the corner, seeing it standing tall, gun pointed towards her direction. He would shoot as soon as she would be visual. No matter how small the target. He'd miss, most likely, he seemed... old. Eyes full of wisdom. But then again, the way he held the gun was better than any scientist she'd seen. Hell it rivalled her father.

"Mordin, are you okay?" She glanced backwards, hearing doors open and close. The creature nodded, stepping aside for a tall woman with dark red hair. Hair that was like hers, when it hadn't died. "What the hell happened here?"

"She woke up. She must have overheard us talking." The British woman coughed, standing up to lean on Mordin. The red haired woman scowled, and glanced back towards another creature. This one was tall, large and resembled that of a bat on steroids. She didn't like her chances with that one. It moved closer towards the red head and nodded, large feet thundering against the floor. It growled something unintelligible, large hands fisting and unfisting. No, she did not like her chances.

Curling further away, she shifted until she lay flat against the floor, shimmied under the bed. Her heart was pounding up against her rib cage, and she swore they could hear it from beside the door. She held her breath, stopping the loud harsh noises that were leaving her mouth. She couldn't let them catch her. Who ever the hell they were, they were with Cerberus. Even if they were with the aliens, they were still under the Illusive mans rule. He still called the shots, stilled ruled everyone under his thumb. They might not kill her now, but who knows, tomorrow he could give them money enough to slit her throat.

And frankly she didn't want that.

The thing grumbled and sniffed, she could hear the metal above her bend under the weight of its hand. Her heart stopped with a final agonizing thud, and she heard him stop. The metal above her creaked and groaned once more and she had to hold back the pathetic whimper. Time seemed to stop, no noise except for that of fingers silently digging their way into the floor.

As quietly as she possibly could she twisted her neck, turning to face two large ice blue eyes glaring at her.

* * *

Shepard watched as Grunt moved around the table, nose high in the air as he sniffed. He was growling lightly, almost inaudibly. If she hadn't had her translator she wouldn't have picked it up. Athena was cowering somewhere on the opposite side of the room to her, after almost tearing the medbay apart. The damage was... extensive. Bullet holes freckled the walls behind her, half of the equipment was over turned and sparking. Shepard sighed. Chakwas was bleeding from her nose, her jaw most likely broken.

Mordin wasn't all that good either. His throat was bruising a nasty looking colour, one finger bent an odd shape around the pistol he was holding. He was shaking and his leg kept giving under him. Shepard hazard a guess that after knocking the doctor out she used her biotics as a shield and went after the salarian next. Even though she was a threat, and from the looks of this room, was a damn good threat, she still had to give the girl credit. Even after being knocked out for god knows how long and forced to endure that shit. She still got up and kicked some ass. If Shepard wasn't careful, she'd have another Jack on her hands.

"I don't like this." Came a smooth whisper next to her ear. Shepard turned to glance at Garrus, who was favoring his injured leg. He glanced from the krogan back to her and she knew what was on his mind. If Grunt and Athena fought, there'd be one hell of a mess on the crew deck. Shepard groaned, rubbing her forehead.

"Yeah, neither do I" Mordin nodded his agreement, pistol still held high. Poor sod, she thought. She just wanted to hold him close and look after him. A stupid thought she knew. Mordin had been part of STG, not only for that brilliant mind either. She'd found it odd that a doctor who saved lives would kill so easily. But then again, what was she doing now? She was killing to save lives. Be it mercs or collectors, someone was at the end of her bullet. And they never made it out alive.

Grunt sniffed again, large hand denting the table. From her side she saw Chakwas wince, from fright of Grunts sheer strength or the fact her medlab was being ruined, Shepard wasn't sure. The krogan gave a purr, somewhere between disgust and excitement and threw his hand under the table. There was a loud scream and Shepards hand instinctively reached for the small side pistol holstered on her thigh. Old habits die hard. Thane was in front of her instantly, fist glowing bright blue before her own biotic hand landed on his shoulder.

She didn't need more people getting hurt.

Grunt dragged the girl, his hand gripping at her ankle and pulling her with enough force to swing her across the room. She screamed, and landed hard against a machine which beeped angrily. "Grunt!" Shepard yelled, biotic blue covering her body before she strode towards the adolescent krogan. He shrugged in response, a small grin forming on his overly large mouth. Shepard had to admit, it had freaked her out when she'd met Wrex first. Now she just found it adorable. In a slightly sadistic and twisted way.

"Sorry Shapard." He chuckled, towering over her smaller form. Athena groaned, hand resting on her now injured side. She was bleeding, but only a little. One of the many vials Chakwas had laying around had smashed and was sticking from her side in an awkward position. Shepard groaned. An angry biotic who god knows had gone through was bad enough. But a biotic that was scared, didn't know where she was and had a piece of glass sticking out of her side. That was another thing completely.

Shepard pulsed blue for a second before dying on her hands. She motioned for Grunt to back off, it wouldn't help with a damn krogan looming over the girl. Hell, considering Cerberus were xenophobic assholes. Probably the only thing she knew about aliens were how to kill them, knowing hem they'd showed her hits of previous people. Thane would probably show up here and there considering he was one of the best. Even if he was a drell.

A damn sexy drell who's every move looked like he was free flowing water.

"Athena." She whispered, stepping closer towards the girl who was whimpering, fingers clutching her side as blood dripped past them. "We won't hurt you. I promise."

The girl growled, mumbling words Shepard wasn't all that sure about. "Liar."

Shepard paued. "What?"

"Liar" the girl repeated. In a flash she was up, the room ablaze with a mixture of silver and molten blue light. She was screaming, her eyes as black as the ocean of space around them. Shepard didn't react quick enough though, the full force of Athena's strength was bearing down on her. The blue cloud of light that surrounded her threatening to sallow her whole. If she hadn't thrown up her own barrier, god knows what would have happened to her.

"Siha!" Thane yelled, his voice barely audible above the loud static energy both their barriers bouncing off each other made. She could felt his feet thud against the floor, his own hand cackling with energy. Shepard grunted with exertion, damn she was strong. Stronger than Jack even.

"No." She groaned, a long grunt following it. "No, I can do it."

"You are a liar!" Athena screamed. "You're using them! She'll kill you just like she killed the others!" She was moving towards her then, each step determined to win. The power she was radiating was enough to bend and buckle the metal around her, Shepard could feel the energy seeping from her limbs. She had to win this, show her that she wasn't a threat.

"I don't want to hurt you Athena. Trust me." Shepard gritted out, her knees buckling underneath her. She fell to the floor, hands still outstretched around her. "Just...listen!"

"You are with them... you can trick them" She gestured to the aliens in the room, her eyes narrowing. "all you want. You can't fool me!" the girl spat, kneeling in front of the Commander. Shepard grunted again, her whole body bending under the pressure. She was sure to the group of spectators that the sight must have been...beautifully horrifying. The way both their biotics fought for control, neither giving up just yet. The walls were burning blue and Shepard had to stop herself from just watching the light reflecting and dancing along the walls.

Beauty amongst the chaos, she laughed mirthlessly.

"Athena." She started, noticing Grunt slipping around behind the small girl, fists clenched and fighting against the energy. "listen to me." Athena glanced to her direction, blue eyes narrowed into slits. Shepard took that as a sign to carry on. "We don't work for Cerberus. The people who you were with? They are locked in the lower levels. They are going to pay for what they did to you."

Athenas barrier faltered, her hands clenching and unclenching. Good she was finally listening. "You have the same logo on your shirt." She said wearily, tilting her head almost comically. It was a start at least.

"A necessary evil I'm afraid. If you stop trying to kill us, I'll happily explain it to you."

Athena glanced behind her, growling as Grunt grinned towards her. "Then maybe you should stop trying to kill me." Shepard nodded and Grunt backed off albeit angrily. He stomped over towards Mordin crossing his arms as he watched the small girl with unbridled interest. "Thanks." She dropped her barrier and stepped backwards leaning up against the now ruined counter.

The way she moved was almost cat like. Her limbs, longer and more muscular than an average teen, seemed predatory. She reminded Shepard of Garrus in a way. The grace and lithe movements of the military race known as turians always perplexed her. Considering they were so large, built strong with thick plates over most of their body, she wouldn't expect them to be so elegant. But they were.

Athena had obviously adopted that trait from them as well has her eyes.

Shepard threw her hip to the side, crossing her arms and lent back against one the metal tables. The edge was higher than she expected, giving that Grunt had almost snapped it in half. She shrugged, the small tank top sleeve slipping off her bare shoulder. She noticed Athena's eye flicker towards the small motion, precision sighting probably noting every fiber.

"What do you wanna know?"

Athena sighed, scratching the back of her neck with her overly long nails. "Why the hell did you _save _me if you work for those bastards?" Her tone wasn't accusing, simply curious. Shepard could see the look of apprehension seem to play along the muscles in her face, and that's when she heard incessant clicking of mandibles to her left.

"One, I owe them a debt. I died and they brought me back."

"So you're a Zombie then?" The girl asked with a slight smirk. Shepard deflected with a chuckle.

"You could say so. Secondly, because I'm not actually with them, think of me as a freelancer of sorts, I call the shots on missions, not The Illusive Man. And I chose to save you" Shepard waited for her to reply, but she didn't. Athena glanced towards the door, her eyes narrowing with the array of species.

"You know, they taught me how to kill you." She spoke at them rather than to them. Grunt laughed, his deep baritone rumble shaking her to the core. She didn't flinch though, simply turned her head to glance and the krogan. He grinned, moving towards from his recent spot by Mordin. Shepard leaned closer towards them, ready to intervene if she had to.

"I'd like to see you try" He drawled, sniffing at her face.

"Top approach, double-strike to eye ridge, slide down between blinded target's rising arms, precision nerve strike to throat, secondary nerve strike to counter blood rage, quad-kick to bend target, grip each side of skull, running leaping spinning neck-snap. Or if you want to get messy. Boom." She blinked, unfazed. Shepard glanced towards the girl, mouth slightly agape. She'd managed to recite, word for word, the dossier Liara had on Thane. Word. For. Word.

The Commander glanced towards the drell in question, green eyes flickering nervously. He stood firm beside Garrus who rested his arm across his shoulder, shifting the weight off his bad leg. Thane's lips were slightly pursed, his dark eyes unreadable. Whatever went on in that mans head was a wonder to her. She'd never be able to crack him, she doubted anyone would.

"I'm a fan Krios. Only alien they liked to show off." Thane's lip twitched.

"I was sure to delete all footage of any of my hits." he said, head tilted to the side. Athena chuckled, pushing herself off the the counter top and sashayed over toward him. If Thane was worried he didn't show it, his features calm and schooled. Shepard had always admired that about him. She on the other hand was like a book. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't master her poker face.

"This woman has you. Obviously didn't do too well with that."

"Obviously not."

"Well." She sighed, stretching out her limbs and rounding on Shepard. "I think I should be off to bed. Should I sleep in a cell, or am I allowed and actual bed?"

"I'll see about the bed. Try anything though, and Grunt here will toss you out the nearest air lock. Kapish?"

"kapish."

* * *

"You are insane." He said, the dual tone to his voice flanging uncontrollably. She was crazy, her head was fucked. He was adamant of it. "Seriously."

"Garrus." She sighed, sitting beside him where he was stretched out on her sofa. Her hand was resting against the back of it, fingers knotted in her own hair and twiddling a strand. "My decision. Doesn't mean I'm crazy."

"I beg to differ." He retorted, mandibles tight against his jaw, she had gone mental. She had to. Because no sane person would rightfully allow someone who had tried to kill everyone the privilege to sleep on their ship. An enclosed space that, quite frankly, could be turned upside down within minutes. She'd allowed the girl a room, shared with the merc Zaeed though, and said that she could live there until more permanent arrangements could be made. Garrus didn't want to think what was going through Shepards mind.

"Garrus." She sighed again, "Okay. I get it you don't trust her."

"You're damn right I don't" He mumbled under his breath hardly looking at her.

"Do you trust me?" She was looking at him with her green eyes demanding. He didn't mean to pause, but the thing was he wasn't all that sure if he did trust her. Hell he'd die for her, but that was different. Soldiers died for their commanding officers all the time, it hardly meant they trusted them, they were just following orders. But shepard was different, he cared about her. Hell, Liara might say he loved her, but he wasn't that sure yet.

"I'd follow you to hell and back." He stated slowly, glancing at her for a second. He felt her hand move to the unscarred part of his face, hooking under his mandible to look at her.

"But do you trust me?"

He couldn't answer her. He didn't know what to say? You are the person I trust the most? That just sounded cliche to him, empty words that didn't mean anything. He knew it was the real Shepard, the one who had destroyed Saren, but still, there was that doubt in him. Cerberus were sneaky bastards, they could have done anything to her, and how would he know?

She'd died before he'd gotten to know her as much as he'd liked.

But this was Shepard. It had to be, no replica could master that glare she had. No one could make a krogan back down from a fight, save Shepard. His Shepard, not some fancy clone. So she had to be real, right?

"yes," He answered, eyes cast down. "Of course I do."

She smiled then, fingers delicately stroking the side of his face and smoothing his jaw and mandible. She was so soft with him, a side that a rare few had seen. "Then trust me when I say we need her to kill the Reapers."

He nodded at that. She would be a great asset. Even if she was only trained in killing aliens. Like some, over powered Thane Krios. The fact that she'd been shown videos of him in action was slightly unnerving. How many other would there be? He doubted there'd be just the one, Cerberus wasn't like that. They had backup plans.

"Okay, Shepard. But if this goes balls up and I save your ass again, you owe me a drink."

She chuckled, swatting his shoulder and his mandibles spread in a grin.

"Oh, only the best for Officer Vakarian" She winked. He swore the room got hotter by almost ten degree's instantly then.

* * *

They weren't far from the Citadel when Shepard had finally woken up, stretching out on her overly large bed. She honestly didn't know why Cerberus had given her such a large bed. But they had, and secretly she was happy on the lavish items that had come with it. Like the sofa that ran the length of the lower floor. That had been a nice touch.

"ETA 15 minutes Commander" Joker's voice spoke over her comm, his voice crackling slightly.

"Thanks Joker, tell the crew to be ready to board. Shore leave starts at 0800 hours. Oh and be sure to station at least three guards by our guests door. Bailey will want to hear about this."

"Aye aye Commander."

She'd have to see the council about the scientists as soon as she docked, she may work for their employer, but there as no way in hell they were getting out of this one because she owed him.

* * *

**A/N: Short chapter is short. Sorry about that, but I hope you enjoy this :) It was a bitch to write. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry the update took so long, I was writing it and then waiting for the amazing sovereign91001 to BETA it. Thank you so much! Anyway. I hope you enjoy. It was pretty hard to write. Oh and don't forget to review! :) It's what keeps me writing this.**

* * *

The Citadel was just as crowded as Shepard remembered, the Zakera Ward greeting her with a host of familiar faces; The pair of hanar, the turian that thought all humans were racist, the two alliance recruits who were being educated on the finer points of combustion engines.

Despite all the similarities there were differences as well, most notably the sight of two large guards that stood to greet them. Shepard cast a glance back to Athena, who in turn, looked at her. They'd come to some sort of agreement. Shepard would go to the council, get the Cerberus scientists to be put in jail and in exchange Athena would stay on board the Normandy, where Shepard hopefully could keep an eye on her.

Athena didn't exactly disagree to this, from what Shepard could tell, she wanted the freedom of space. It was the two armoured guards she wasn't all that happy about.

"I didn't know boy scouts were placed on guard duty." Athena muttered sarcastically under her breath. Despite her hushed tone Shepard's ears picked up on every word clearly and the she glanced at Jack who didn't do anything but grin and shrug.

Judging from what she'd seen so far Shepard could tell Jack and Athena would get along famously. She felt the beginnings of a headache forming at the thought of what they could get up too together.

For her own sanity she cast that thought aside and focused on the task at hand. "They're here to take you to Udina's office while I talk to Lorik and the council." Shepard turned to Garrus and Thane who'd been observing them all quietly. "Any news on when our turian buddies are gonna join us?"

Garrus fielded the inquiry with a nod and a second taxi landed next to theirs; the turians squad hopped, lumbered and hobbled towards her. No doubt they'd be going down to the hospital to be checked out, there was only so much Chakwas could do.

There weren't as many as she'd hoped. Either staying behind because they couldn't walk, in which case she'd send someone to go get them, or wanted nothing to do with the meeting at all. Which she was fine with really, so long as Lorik gave his evidence, she was happy.

"Lorik." She nodded.

"Shepard." He smiled, extending his hand. "Thanks for the ride home, my men and I really appreciate it." He glanced about him and she noticed the four turians waiting patiently away from them, each one looking like they'd rather be anywhere but there… well all of them except Eurina. She was tapping her foot impatiently, watching Lorik like a hawk.

"No problem Lorik, I owed you one."

"I'm sure you already repaid that debt when I took over Noveria." His mandibles spread into a smirk and Shepard had to stop herself from smiling back.

"That's true. Maybe I should have left your sorry asses back in the cold." She noticed his men stiffen and she cast a glance at them. Lorik laughed tipping his head backwards, his mandibles stretched as far as they could go. Shepard joined in his mirth, running a hand though her hair and stretched out her arms.

She liked Lorik, he was...different to the other turians she'd met. As a general rule turians generally didn't get on well with humans and although that had begun to change since she had saved the council. She knew that it would take a while for those old wounds to heal.

But at least they were making progress, worming their way into the council as respected members.

Much to the scorn of many of the other species.

"Commander?" A voice behind her questioned and with a quick roll of her eyes she turned, facing a tall brunette man. "I'm inspector Thomson, I've been asked to escort you to Executor Palin."

"Well, isn't this going to be fun?" She heard Garrus mumble as he limped towards her.

"Where are the scientists?" She turned towards Thane, ignoring Garrus' small scowl. She could feel his eyes on her, and she cast a quick glance his way. Sure enough he was staring, mandibles tight against his jaw.

"They remain in the cargo bay. The Krogan and Zaeed are guarding them."

Shepard sighed in relief and motioned for the inspector to lead the way. "After you." She said, following him through towards the taxi stand and stepping into one. "Jack, Thane, stay with the guards and make sure she doesn't kill anything." The duo nodded, walking in step with the guards either side of Athena.

She noticed the young woman scowl, but didn't say anything, simply watched as she boarded the taxi with the Drell and Humans. Thane nodded to her before stepping into the skycar, dipping his head low with an enigmatic smile.

Shepard smiled back, running a hand through her hair. She had to admit, if she weren't already sort of with Garrus, she would definitely have chosen the drell. He was tall, oozing masculinity, and damn it, his body was lean and muscular.

Even though she was technically taken, it didn't mean she couldn't window shop.

She felt a hand on her waist and she glanced up at the smiling face of Garrus. "What would we do without you to order us about?"

"Get attacked by a fan club of raving women?" She smirked, nudging his side before slipping into the hot pink vehicle. She heard Garrus chuckle before he stepped in with her, watching Lorik speak with his men before he joined them.

"Now I wouldn't say no to that." He grinned. She rolled her eyes.

Lorik coughed into his fist, and Shepard glanced his way, pursing her lips.

"So what are we going to tell the council?"

"The truth."

She nodded. She liked the sound of that.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't do anything?" She was yelling but she didn't exactly care. They could go to hell, or where ever their stupid scaly asses went. Every time, every damn time they did this. They ignored the facts, turned a blind eye regardless of the evidence presented to them; even when it would help them, even when it would get murderers off the street.

"Noveria is not located in Council Space Commander; we have no authority in that region." The Asari councilor, Tevos, reasoned, her hand coming to rest on the podium.

Shepard growled. "You're telling me, I saved your scaly ass, for what? So you can ignore me? Say that I'm insane? So that I can show you the shit that's going on under your noses and you still tell me I'm wrong?"

She heard Garrus stifle a laugh behind her, but she ignored him. She was seething, angry, murderous. She wanted to climb up to those pompous assholes and rip off their scaly hide. The only thing that stopped her was Lorik's hand gripping her shoulder like a vice. Something she was grateful for.

"We have evidence to show that their dealings were not only in the Terminus System, councillors." He said, his voice calm and collected. She had no idea how he did it, but she was envious.

"And what is this evidence?" The Turian councillor leaned forward, mandibles flaring slightly. "Councillor Sparatas," So that was his name. "You mentioned that C-Sec had noticed a large quantity of Eezo had gone missing and confiscated red sand? I tracked it to their base on Noveria. Even if we can't get them for what they did to that little girl, they'll get what, ten years? Ten years is a long time, I'm sure I can find something else against them."

Shepard inwardly grinned, Lorik had thought this through. He knew the council would do fuck all. At least with this they would pay for something, even if it was a fraction of what they deserved.

"That's bullshit" Jack yelled from behind her, the volatile woman stormed up to the Commander's side to point an angry finger at the council. Anderson shifted his head concealing a smile, although he probably would never admit it, and Shepard had to laugh. "They deserve to be burned alive for what they did."

Shepard had never seen the Biotic act like this before and she turned to glance at her. Her eyes were practically glowing red and her fist was balled up at her side. If Shepard hadn't known better, she would say it was something like a motherly instinct. But this was Jack, she didn't have one ounce of motherly instinct in her…. just a deep, all-encompassing hatred for all things Cerberus.

And given the similarities of what she and Athena had experienced… well no doubt it opened up old wounds.

"That's enough miss naught." Anderson's deep voice warned. She heard Jack growl but she backed off none the less, glancing angrily at Shepard. Well, she thought, who was she to let Jack down?

"Let me see this evidence." Tevos said, flaring up her Omni-tool just as Lorik did. He keyed in a code and the information was sent straight to her, which she then opened, showing it to the other council members. "This is troubling indeed."

"Oh so you listen to him." Shepard muttered. Garrus couldn't hold back much longer and he let out a bark of a laugh, looking down with a smile when she glared at him.

"Where is the girl, Athena?" Tevos asked.

Shepard shook her head, "She's in Udina's office with one of my men."

Sparatas' mandibles clicked as he hummed, tilting his head to the side. He was watching Garrus behind her, eyes roaming over his face, and the fact his leg was still shot to hell. She knew how turians felt about scaring. They didn't mind it, but they didn't treasure it like Krogan, even some humans, did. So long as they weren't as...extensive as the ones Garrus was sporting, they wouldn't care.

The way he was looking at her turian made her skin flush red with anger. No one judged her squad like that. She didn't care if they were the Primarch himself, she wouldn't stand for it.

"Something you want to say Councillor Sparatas?" She gritted her teeth and crossed her arms, ignoring the small screech of her armor grinding against itself. The turian shifted his gaze to her, eyes darting to her face.

"I think it is time we decided what to do."

Tevos turned towards him and then towards the Salarian councillor, "Yes of course."

They whispered amongst each other for a minute, Anderson barely able to get a word in. Shepard could tell, just from this small exchange that though the man may be on the council, it was more in name than in actuality.

"We will contain them, for smuggling charges. Red sand alone is enough for ten years Commander. This is the best we can do." Tevo spoke, stretching out her arms before her and looking down on them. Shepard nodded, a small smile playing on the side of her mouth. It was better than nothing at least. And she knew Bailey wasn't going to be all that gentle with them, not when he found out about what they did to a small girl.

"What about the girl?" Lorik asked, and Shepards breathing almost stopped. She'd promised her passage on her ship. A place with her crew. And she was a woman of her word.

"She is a risk." The Salarian councilor spoke, and Shepard struggled to remember his name. Taron, Teiron? "We can't simply let her roam the streets, if what you say they did to her is true."

"We'll take her. Let her do some good in the Universe." Shepard said, quicker than she should have.

She noticed Sparatas smirk and crossed his arms. "Says the woman who's in bed with Cerberus,"

She growled, hand balling into a fist. She felt Lorik place his hand on her shoulder again and she calmed. "I am not _in bed with_ Cerberus. The only thing they have any control over is the funding, nothing else."

Sparatas scoffed, leaning against the railing of the podium he stood on. His mandibles close to his face. "Yes, because the ship you docked in does not have the symbol that belongs to those scum plastered over every inch of it."

He had her at that. And he knew it. He lent back on his hip, shifting his weight so he was balanced. If anything, the small, self-important smirk he was sporting should have been a clue to how much she hated that man.

"We are taking the girl." She said, staring him down. He didn't move, not until Tevos coughed, bringing him back to the matter at hand.

"We cannot simply allow you to-"

"Think of it as a favor for me saving your lives."

* * *

"I'm sorry for almost killing you." They were back on the ship. Shepard, the woman with flaming red hair, had called it the Normandy. Apparently it was an important name in Humanity's history; not that it held any real importance to her, the only things Cerberus had taught her were how to speak, and how to kill.

Athena watched the grey haired doctor look up at her with a smile, snapping on a pair of gloves. She knew what an examination was, they'd do it to her after every examination. They just didn't end well, especially with some of the doctors. Mainly the men.

"So long as you don't do it again." Chakwas said with a light smiled, flicking a needle and watching it with eagle eyes.

"I'll try not to."

The other doctor, a salarian named Mordin, was at the other end of the room, fingers dancing along a holographic keypad. He was a strange thing, even by alien standards. Muttering to himself endlessly, sometimes bursting into song. She'd noticed Chakwas wince sometimes, laugh, grin, cringe.

Evidently it wasn't something she liked very much, the singing.

"So what is that?" Athena asked, pointing to the needle. Chakwas smiled, holding the girls hand in her own. She was like grandmother really, from what she could tell from the stories she heard. Old, caring, wise, loving. As a little girl, Athena had always wanted something similar, the doctors had read her old fairy tales, some dating back as far as time itself.

Or at least, that was what it had felt like to a young child. Stories filled with damsels and knights. Things that, when she'd spent all those days trying to escape, run, she'd expect to see on the outside.

Time changed that theory.

She couldn't help but draw parallels between the villains of the stories and those who held her captive. Overly dramatic wizards and witches, evil stepmothers. The bravado of it all. Reminded her of Cerberus really, their over achieving goals.

"Just vitamins, things your body needs to survive. You're severely malnourished, and I want to see to it it doesn't worsen. "

Athena nodded, eyes watching as she inserted the needle into her skin. It didn't hurt nearly as much as it usually did. With clean precision, the needle was out and disposed of, thrown into a sterile bin opposite the table she sat on.

"I'm doubtful you've been fitted with an Omni-tool?" She asked, turning back to look at Athena with a small smile. From the look on the girls face, Chakwas gathered no. "Right."

The older woman flared her Omni-tool up, fingers ghosting over a small orange keypad. "This, is a multi-purpose diagnostic and manufacturing tool as well as a computer." The next half hour was spent showing and teaching the young girl about the merits of owning an Omni-tool. Chakwas went into great length about the technical abilities of the hand held device, popping up the call button and dialling the ships resident turian.

"Garrus?" Athena watched in wonder as the battered face of said turian popped up on the doctors screen. His face was cast in an orange glow, either from the doctors screen or his own, she wasn't sure.

"Don't tell me I need to come in for a check up." He drawled, voice dripping with sarcasm. Chakwas chuckled, shaking her head slightly with a smile.

"Yes, but that's not why I'm calling you. I assume you are in the main battery?" He nodded, "Good. I need you to escort Athena to her quarters please."

"You mean down in engineering with Zaeed?"

"I believe that is where to Commander has asked her to be held, yes."

Garrus nodded again, eyes glancing toward the girl. She could see him calculating her, probably seeing how much force he would need to take her. She'd go easily enough. She wasn't about to bite the hand that fed her, or looked after her, saved her. The Commander had been good on her word so far, if things changed though...well, she wouldn't stand for it.

"I'll be right there."

* * *

They walked in relative silence to the elevator, his body towering over Athena's. She was small, even for a human, and Garrus had seen many humans in his days at C-Sec. And most of them were a damn sight taller than this one.

She was strange, he noted. Her eyes were as his, electric blue, but with the curiosity only humans had. Not something he was fond of himself, he hated it when Shepard would have to go and nose at what was happening somewhere else. He forgot how many times he'd had to save her ass from being blown off. Not that he was complaining, he's rather do it that let Krios.

Damn drell would probably grope it, more than save it.

"You know," Her voice was softer than he remembered it, "You haven't said much."

He cast a glance down at her, mandibles drawn in. "That could be because the last time I was this close to you, you were trying to kill my.." Lover? Best friend? The only person who he hadn't fucked up with? "Commanding officer."

That was much simpler.

"True." She sighed, "And I didn't know what any of you were saying."

He'd forgotten about that. It must have been complicated, waking up, not understanding a word anyone said. Species you learnt were bad, evil. Learnt to kill, standing above you, like some experiment. And that's what she was really, an experiment. She had been her whole life.

"So, you understand me now?" She rolled her eyes at that, showing him the metallic bangle on her right hand. One that matched his own. "Ah."

They were walking at the same speed, his limp slowing him down. He was healing pretty well, in all honesty. The doctor had said that it would be a while before Shepard was even allowed to think about taking him out on a mission, but that was fine by him. He knew she wouldn't go anywhere too dangerous without him. He was the only one she trusted. Well, except for Tali.

"What is it like to be a turian?" They were just outside the elevator, the doors opening with a silent whoosh. How could he answer that? It was like asking Shepard what it was like being a human. It was all she'd ever known, how would she know any different?

"I guess you could say, tough?" He coughed into his hand, looking down on the small girl standing to his right. "I don't really know how to answer."

"That's okay." She hummed, and then he noticed the slight dual tone to her voice. Somewhat like his own, but less pronounced. He doubted she knew the tone she was giving off meant contemplation. Well to his ears it did at least.

He really hadn't expected this, she'd seemed so...violent in the med bay. Eye's savage as she threatened to rip everything apart. But now...She was calm, thinking. Asking questions about his species. He supposed they hadn't taught her much else than kill this, and that, and anything else that stands in your way.

"We believe in spirits," He said before he could stop himself, hand rising to awkwardly scratch behind his fringe. "Not for a singualar reason like some human cultures, is it Christianity that believes in angels for a single purpose?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. I don't even know what religion is."

"It's someone's beliefs, hopes. We pray to them in times of hardship and struggle." He didn't really, he'd given up on that the day Saelon got away. If there were such things as Spirits...they would at least have stopped that slippery bastard from getting away.

Then again, along came Shepard, and 'Dr. Heart' had died.

"Do you believe in it?" He shook his head.

"No."

The elevator lurched to a stop, and he had to lean himself against the doors fram to stop himself from landing on Athena.

"Why not?" She asked, stepping out and turning to face him, blue eyes looking up at his hopefully. She reminded him of his little sister when she was younger. Looking up to her big brother with wide eyes, asking question after question on why he had to leave so suddenly. If he would ever come back.

He'd remembered looking up at his father. Fifteen years old and away to the military. He hadn't minded, he was a turian, this is what they did. Basic training, and then he could come back if he wanted. If he wanted. He didn't want to leave his little sister, so frail and small. But he had to. And so, will a hug, mandibles rubbing against one another, he had left her.

It was one of the only time's he'd spent with his sister that hadn't led to arguing.

Before he could answer, the door opened in front of them. Zaeed stood, looking as gruff as ever, with his arms crossed. Garrus had always wondered what had happened to the merc for him to be so...well, so Zaeed. There wasn't really another word to describe him.

With a grunt he pointed his thumb over his shoulder, eyes peeled on the girl as she slipped past him and jumped onto the chair, feet up and leaning back.

"Thanks Vakarian. I appreciate it." He said, his accented voice lilted with amusement. "Though you can tell the Commander I don't like playing nanny."

"It's only temporary." Garrus chuckled, "I think."

Zaeed frowned, or what Garrus thought was a frown, and stepped towards him. He cast a glance back towards Athena, and when he was certain she wasn't going to grab a hidden weapon and shoot him he turned back to face the confused turian.

"She's...strange." He said, leaning in so that he could lower his voice. "The girl, I mean. First she tries to kill everyone, and then..this?"

Garrus had to admit, it was strange. "All she's ever known is killing. She'd never seen the sun until a few days ago." he pointed out. Zaeed nodded and then shook his head.

"She asked me questions all night. Random things about earth, and humans. I'd say she was gathering intel. But...about humans? Cerberus is a dirty organisation, but they are all for humanity."

"I'll ask the Commander about it."

"Good pup."

* * *

"Change of plans Commander. The Illusive man wants to talk to you." Joker said as soon as her feet hit the platform to the galaxy map. How he even knew about her being there was a mystery to her. She turned her head to glance at her Yeoman, who's eyes were trained a little to hard on her computer screen. Maybe that was how. Though she hadn't seen them plot against her before. Hmm.

Shepard sighed, running a hand through her hair and quietly padding her way to the conference room, choosing to go through Mordins room. He wasn't there though, last she'd heard he was with Chakwas and Athena down in med bay.

She hurried her steps, almost prying the doors open when they wouldn't open quick enough for her. She didn't know why she was in such a rush. She was..on edge? She guessed she was. Last time the Illusive man had such an urgent message for her that he had stopped her going on the damn galaxy map, was Horizon. And the Ash..

Shepard sighed, pushing a hand through her hair as she stepped into the conference room. The table shifted as soon as her feet hit the metal floor, sinking down as a the metal ring of the comm lifted. She stepped into it, the blue lights of the scans engulfing her body and low and behold, the Illusive man stood before her, back turned and smocking.

Why was he always smocking?

"Shepard, we caught a break. I intercepted a distress call from a turian patrol." He turned to face her, blue eyes glowing in the dark. "They stumbled onto a Collector ship beyond the Korlus system."

Shepard watched as he paced back and forth, cigarette burning in the dim light. He looked panicked, exited, distraught. He looked eager.

"The turians were wiped out, but not before they crippled the Collector vessel." He sat, crossing his legs and staring pointedly at her. Cigarette sitting lazily in one hand as the other gestured smoothly as he spoke. "I need you to board that ship and get some hard data on the Collectors. Find us a way to get to their homeworld."

She hated this, she hated how she was somehow his lap dog. Doing whatever he wanted at the click of his fingers. If it saved lives, human and alien alike, then she'd do it. But not for him. Never for him.

She crossed her arms, brow rising in question, "Hard to imagine how a turian patrol could take out a Collector Ship." It was odd though. She knew they were a pretty big and impressive military race. Strong, powerful. But she'd seen what a Collector ship could do personally. Eden Prime was a nightmare to fight through. She doubted a turian patrol would be able to cut through their defences so easily.

He took a drag, not phased by her question.

"Reports indicate the hull is intact, but all systems seem to be offline. They could be making repairs as we speak. I'm not saying it won't be dangerous, but we can't let an opportunity like this slip by." He shook his head, blue eyes boring into hers.

It was as if he was willing her to go.

"If they had a patrol out there, why aren't the turians sending a recon team in?" It made sense, from what Garrus had told her of turian military, it's what they would do.

"They will. Eventually. But I intercepted their transmissions. In the meantime, we're feeding them false reports. You're close enough that you can be in and out before the turians learn the truth,"

"You sure this information's good?" She asked, brow raised sceptically as she crossed her arms in front of her, leaning back on her hip.

The Illusive man rolled his eyes, leaning forward in his chair. "Information is my weapon, Shepard. It's good."

Shepard nodded, uncrossing her arms and standing straight. She didn't like this. She didn't like it one bit. But if she had to do it. For the sake of the missing colonies she would do it. Even if it meant being the Illusive man's lackey.

"Send me the coordinates, and I'll take care of it." She sighed, running a hand through her red hair. She hated giving in so easily.

He took a long drag on his cigarette, his eyes almost pulsing neon blue. "Already sent. Once you're aboard the ship, establish an uplink with EDI. She'll mine their data for information regarding the Omega 4 relay."

Shepard turned on her heel, already knowing who she would take.

She heard him take another drag and she turned her head to look at him. "Good luck, Shepard."


End file.
